The last time fans saw Michael Beasley on the hardwood, it was nothing short of a spectacle. In a high-stakes, winner-takes-all one-on-one showdown against Lance Stephenson, Beasley went off—and walked away with a $100,000 prize. The final score? A clean 31-21. It was raw, gritty basketball that had the internet buzzing. But while the dust settled on that battle, it didn’t take long for the talk to shift. Former NBA champ Stephen Jackson immediately tossed out a new idea: “Get Beasley a real challenge.” And that’s when the whispers started about Joe Johnson.

Now, it’s worth noting—Lance Stephenson is no walkover. He’s a one-on-one nightmare. Physical, relentless, and never one to back down. But Beasley? He was in full control from the jump. It was so convincing that even Stephenson had to give props, walking up post-game with a “Great game, bro.” The wildest part? Beasley’s been away from the league since 2019 and officially retired in 2022. Yet, watching him carve up Stephenson, you’d never guess he’d missed a beat. Still, just when you thought the drama was over, Stephen Jackson stirred things up again.

He publicly called for Beasley to go up against Iso Joe next. But here’s the catch—Joe Johnson isn’t lacing up his sneakers for just a quick cash grab. There’s way more at stake for him than just a headline. In fact, on Shannon Sharpe’s podcast, Joe made his position crystal clear. “Man, I got 20,000 points. Only 52 guys in the world with 20,000 points. Talk that. Seven-time NBA All-Star. I wasn’t no one hit wonder, two hit wonder. Like, I did my thing, man. Don’t diminish what I’ve done,” he said. It wasn’t just pride talking—it was legacy. Moreover, Joe didn’t stop there.

He doubled down with a firm message: “I ain’t saying what Beasley done I’m just saying, don’t come to me with this piss-poor-a– offer and think I’m just gonna jump…If y’all wanna make this thing legit and we doing it.” So, what’s his price tag? When the numbers were up to 250,000 or $500,000 to battle, Joe had a clear response: “We going to have to negotiate this. You going to have to come in me right, man. If you don’t come at me right, I ain’t the guy to go back and forth with you. I’m just going to be like “Ah okay cool.” And I’m gonna keep it moving.”

Now, the ball’s in Beasley’s court—and the fans are just waiting for tip-off.

All bet on Joe Johnson

Stephen Jackson isn’t one to throw names around lightly. The NBA veteran made it loud and clear—there’s only one retired player he believes can give Michael Beasley a real fight in a one-on-one battle. Of course, it’s one other than Joe Johnson. Known across the league as Iso Joe for his isolation mastery, the seven-time All-Star carved out his legacy with the Hawks, but also left his mark in Brooklyn and Utah. And according to Jackson, Joe’s the only one who might actually make Beasley sweat.

In fact, on the All the Smoke podcast, Jackson dropped the bold take without hesitation. “I don’t think it’s any retired players that could beat Beasley in one-on-one. The only person I would like to see him play is Joe. I wanna see him go against Iso Joe,” he said. “He’s 6 foot 9, 230[pounds]; he a monster.” Coming from someone like Jackson, who’s played against both, that’s not just casual praise—it’s a challenge.

Interestingly, Beasley’s been a beast since his Kansas State days. Coming out as the No. 2 overall pick in the 2008 Draft, his college numbers were off the charts. He wasn’t just flashy—he was dominant. The Heat knew they had something special when they grabbed him that year.

Still, Jackson believes Beasley’s NBA journey never fully reflected his true talent. “If you had to pick a logo for a one-on-one like you have for the NBA, I think the logo would be Michael Beasley,” he said. “He’s a walking bucket, he’s scoring. Everyone knows that if they had given him a solid chance in the league, he would’ve had an amazing career.”

So, if Joe Johnson’s price is met, this dream showdown could happen—and it might just live up to the hype.