It’s not often you see a redemption arc unfold right before your eyes, but that’s exactly what happened recently with Michael Beasley. Once known for his smooth handles and crafty scoring, Beasley reminded fans he’s still got that magic. In D’Vontay Friga’s The Next Chapter, Beasley showed what it means to him when he means business. Lacing up for a 1v1 showdown, he didn’t just beat Lance Stephenson; he straight-up dominated him and bagged a $100,000 check while doing it. But with all this goodness, a four-time NBA champ picked a feather from the past to remind Beasley of his ‘mistake’.

Naturally, the numbers backed up the story. Beasley won 31-21, and with that, he brought back flashes of the prodigy many once believed would take over the league. Even Kevin Durant couldn’t help but salute him. In a recent take, KD said the thought that Beasley was as skilled as him and LeBron “wasn’t crazy,” adding he “was feeling him on that.” And let’s be honest—when one of the greatest scorers ever gives you that kind of nod, it means something.

Still, not everyone was just handing out compliments. Former Pistons forward John Salley chimed in, too, and his words came with a mix of praise and reflection. “He’s bigger, he’s better. I think it was great. I think it was great publicity,” Salley said during a VladTV interview. He even gave props to Stephenson for his crossover appeal, saying, “Lance Stevenson rhymes are dope… I think that’s great.” But then came the curveball. Salley wasn’t about to let Beasley off easily.

He brought up a decision Beasley made years ago that still lingers. “I think Beasley now realizing if he just would have listened to Kobe, he said, if he would have listened to Kobe, his life would be so much better right now,” that hit deep. See, Beasley once admitted that back in college, Kobe Bryant had warned him not to ease up once he got to the league. But personal and family struggles got in the way, and he didn’t take the advice to heart.

Even so, Salley had more to add, and he wasn’t pulling punches. “They say hindsight is 20-20, but when you look back and realize how much you messed up in 25 years or 20 years.” It’s a tough pill. But despite everything, Beasley still carved out a solid NBA run—and with the way he played, he truly believes he could still dominate in today’s league.

Michael Beasley believes he’ll dominate today’s NBA

Not just in the 1v1, Michael Beasley is confident about how he would be if he were to play in today’s NBA atmosphere. When former sharpshooter Mike Miller asked him straight-up on The OGs Show how he’d stack up in today’s game, Beasley didn’t blink. “If I played 48 minutes in a game out of a game, I would score 75. But today, in this game, with 10 shots, I’d average 25 points in 20 minutes easy,” he said. It might sound wild at first, but with the league now tailor-made for offense, Beasley’s confidence doesn’t feel totally misplaced.

Besides, he’s not just looking at the scoreboard—he’s calling out the defense too. “Luka Doncic pump fakes six times and they jump every time,” Beasley pointed out, laughing. And yeah, if guys are biting that hard on Luka’s fakes, it’s not a stretch to imagine them getting torched by Beasley’s double-pump bag.

What makes it more believable is that Beasley wasn’t all slash and flash. Early in his career, he could shoot with the best of them—smooth midrange, solid from deep. That kind of shooting range is practically a requirement in today’s league, and Beasley had it before it became trendy.

“And now, stretching out to the three, I’m shooting three, four, five, threes a game. Give me five threes and five twos, I swear I’m gonna get 8 free throws off that. And I’m just gonna sit down and cheer for the rest of the game. I’m a barbeque this s––,” he said. And if you ever saw Beasley in his prime, you know—that wasn’t just talk.