Kansas State's Michael Beasley puts on show, kisses KU opponent in TBT debut

MANHATTAN — Making his return to Bramlage Coliseum and making his The Basketball Tournament debut, Michael Beasley made sure to give everyone a vintage Michael Beasley experience.

Knocking down shots, trash talking Kansas alumni, picking up a technical foul and apparently kissing one of his opponents in the process, Beasley was Beasley when leading Purple Reign to an 80-61 win over JHX Hoops, the Kansas alumni team.

"It was fun; It was fun. I got a little sad out there," Beasley said. "Just doing it in Manhattan, beating Kansas, doing that again and recreating old memories; Mario Chalmers and the same guys I beat and doing it again."

Beasley scored a game-high 20 points, dishing out six assists and grabbing three rebounds and blocking a pair of shots. After he knocked down his first of two 3-pointers, he leaned over into the Jayhawks' bench and said something, and they weren't amused.

Later in the game, after a dunk, he got into a bit of a shoving match with Tra-Deon Hollins, leading to a technical foul and the ignition of the bad blood between the rivals. Shortly after, late in the third quarter, he got in the face of Carlton Bragg Jr. and appeared to kiss his cheek. He turned to the Purple Reign bench, smiled and appeared to yell, "I kissed him."

Michael Beasley just kissed him 😘🤣 pic.twitter.com/JKGaniug3R

— TBT (@thetournament) July 22, 2026

"I don't want to give him any life, but one of the players over there wasn't playing basketball," Beasley said.

Beasley was the highlight of Purple Reign's Game 1 domination in a three-game opening-round series against a team full of former Jayhawks. The second game will take place Wednesday, July 22, at Lee Arena in Topeka.

Austin Trice provided a few highlights, including one remarkable slam that got the 3,192 fans on their feet. He and Xavier Sneed scored 16 points, with Shaun Williams adding 15. The Jayhawk alumni were led by Billy Preston's 15.

But everyone was there to see Beasley, perhaps the most talented player to ever wear a Wildcats uniform despite it being for just one record-breaking year. The No. 2 overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft showed that he still had plenty of game, and provided Bramlage Coliseum with a bit of nostalgia, 18 years after he became a K-State legend en route to a Big 12 Player of the Year honor.

It was a good reminder of some good ol' days. It also served as a reminder to at least one Kansas opponent, who mistakenly told Beasley that it was "about time" he beat the Jayhawks on that floor.

"I'm 2-0," Beasley said. "That kid's crazy, right? I've never lost to them on this floor."

Wyatt D. Wheeler covers Kansas State athletics for the USA TODAY Network and Topeka Capital-Journal. You can follow him on X at @WyattWheeler_, contact him at 417-371-6987 or email him at wwheeler@usatodayco.com

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Kansas State's Michael Beasley puts on show, kisses KU opponent in TBT debut