On “Nightcap With Unc and Ocho,” former NFL wide receiver Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson boldly claimed that he once beat LeBron James in a 1-on-1 game, when the NBA superstar was with the Miami Heat.
“I got a real good story about LeBron too when he was with the Heat,” Johnson said. “We played 1-on-1 at the YMCA, we played to 21, I beat him 21-17.”
Co-host Shannon Sharpe didn’t believe a word and called him out for lying, but Ochocinco made it clear he was telling the truth. The 45-year-old also stated that LeBron was surprised by his quickness.
“I beat him 21-17 for a thousand dollars,” Johnson added. “I am like that on the court, he didn’t know that until we played. He’s like, ‘God damn Ocho you’re quick as hell.’ I caught him off the dribble and he fell. Yeah, I’m like that, I just chose to not play basketball, like soccer.”
Johnson had played soccer in his youth, and at the semi-professional level later on, and says he could have played basketball too. Sharpe doesn’t believe he could have gone pro in either sport, but Ochocinco then claimed that some NBA stars came to work out with him.
“I ain’t trying to name-drop nothing,” Johnson continued. “Ask Carmelo (Anthony), ask (Dwyane Wade), and ask (Russell) Westbrook what I did to them when we played 1-on-1 when they was prepping for the season. They came to me to get ready for the season.”
When Sharpe hilariously asked if they were prepping on NBA 2K, a frustrated Johnson explained what they worked on, and made perhaps the boldest claim of the lot.
“No, I’m talking about real life,” Johnson stated. “Working on transitions, working on footwork. Man, they came to me. Man, I used to do them boys in. I could come off the bench for the Heat right now. Sixth Man of the Year. Right now.”
Unc Shannon Sharpe reaction to ochocinco saying he beat Lebron James in a game of 21 at a YMCA got me crying 😂😂😂😂😂
🎥: @ClubShayShay , @NightcapShow_ pic.twitter.com/SNHSzjTAnA
— Shannonnn sharpes Burner (PARODY Account) (@shannonsharpeee) October 10, 2023
There is absolutely no chance that Johnson can enter the NBA now and win Sixth Man of the Year. He loses credibility when he says things like that, as people would then brush aside everything else he says.
While I have serious doubts about Johnson beating LeBron, I do tend to believe him when he says some of those players came to work out with him. I doubt he got the better of them, though, but Ochocinco seemed quite bullish when he said it.
Johnson Claimed He Beat Damian Lillard 1-On-1
LeBron isn’t the only NBA star that Johnson claims to have beaten 1-on-1. Back in 2021, he spent some time at an iHOP In Portland and gave a massive tip of $1,000. Right at the end of the bill, he also claimed to have beaten Damian Lillard at the YMCA.
“I beat Damian Lillard in 1 on 1, years ago in the YMCA.”
https://twitter.com/ochocinco/status/1410995213372297217
Lillard stated on Late Night With Seth Meyers later that year that Ochocino was lying about beating him. This whole situation is just so interesting, as you’d think someone wouldn’t give out such blatant lies in public.
Michael Beasley Used To Always Beat LeBron James When They Played 1-On-1
While Johnson almost certainly wouldn’t have beaten LeBron, there was apparently someone who did beat him consistently, Michael Beasley. An NBA reporter watched LeBron take on Beasley 1-on-1 in Heat practice and stated that the latter won every time.
Beasley was an extremely gifted scorer, and you can see him giving James trouble in 1-on-1 games. Beating him every single time, though, is incredibly impressive if true, and it just makes you wonder what might have been, had he just been more professional and stayed out of trouble.
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