Did the NBA witness the birth of a new rivalry? It isn’t new in the league for something of this sort to happen. But what about when old teammates clash? Oh, that ought to be explosive. So, the Milwaukee Bucks arrives at Little Caesars Arena on Friday for a matchup against the Detroit Pistons. On one side was Giannis Antetokounmpo, and on the other side? Ex-Bucks star Malik Beasley.

What’s the backstory here? Beasley and Giannis were tight during the 2023-24 season with the Bucks, where Beasley drained 41.3% of his threes, lighting it up as a sharpshooter while Giannis dominated inside. But when Beasley inked a one-year, $6 million deal with Detroit last summer, it set the stage for a juicy reunion.

So, a bit of on-court drama added to the game’s intensity. In the Bucks’ 125-119 win over the Pistons, Giannis Antetokounmpo had the last laugh. With just moments left, he swatted away Malik Beasley’s 3-point attempt—his former teammate’s shot—and didn’t stop there. Giannis hit him with his own shimmy celebration. The crowd loved it. Beasley? Not so much. He shoved Giannis in frustration, but the Greek Freak walked away, grinning.

Later, Malik Beasley took to his X handle to tweet: “Let someone stand over you, hit your ish, then try to help me up .. in what world would you let that slide in? Idc how goofy he is lol.”

But that’s not all; Giannis Antetokounmpo tried shaking hands with Beasley. Swipe. Denied. Once. Twice. Still, he didn’t back off. Instead, he casually lined up next to the shooting guard during free throws. And the chatter didn’t stop. Then came the finger wave—classic Giannis. But that was the last straw. The ref had seen enough. Boom. Double technicals for both.

Now, this tweet has fans shaking their heads in disagreement. For most of them, Beasley’s reaction seems uncalled for. So they ask, what is he angry about? Well, ex-teammates often do such things on the court. Therefore, what is this about? Fans want to know.

Malik Beasley’s jab at Giannis Antetokounmpo has got the fans asking a few questions

One of the fans asked on X, “Wasn’t he your teammate last year? 💀💀.” Giannis surely was Beasley’s teammate. However, the Greek Freak’s frivolity didn’t sit well with the ex-Bucks star. Especially now, with the Detroit Pistons seeded at No.6 in the East, such ‘disrespect’ even from his ex-teammate wouldn’t be accepted. However, the fans are not missing out on hitting Malik Beasley with critical responses.

Meanwhile, another fan stood in Beasley’s support against Antetokounmpo. They said, “Don’t let Giannis lil bro you, we all know his goofy family guy persona is fake.” Simply put, the Greek Freak’s friendly image isn’t so friendly after all. Therefore, the fan warns Malik not to let Giannis dominate or intimidate him. His nice-guy act hides how competitive and ruthless he is on the court.

But at the same time, Malik Beasley was seen talking to the Milwaukee Bucks bench during the game. Was it a friendly conversation or a competitive banter? Guess we’ll never know. Whatever it was, fans took note. Therefore, the said: “Beasley been talking to the Bucks bench the whole game and now he wanna cry? fake demon.”

Meanwhile, someone commented: “Watch who u speaking on. Giannis’s left pinky is bigger than ur career.” This reaction is a sharp, sarcastic clapback defending Giannis. It mocks the Pistons star by exaggerating Giannis Antetokounmpo’s dominance, saying even his left pinky is more significant than Beasley’s entire career. Brutal! It’s a playful but savage way of saying, “You’re not even close to his level, so watch your words.”

Lastly, someone used a Kobe Bryant GIF where the Black Mamba mouths the word “soft.” This indicates that Malik Beasley’s reaction was nothing but ‘soft’ or unnecessary.

So, while the debate on whether Giannis’s action and Malik Beasley’s reaction are justified or not. Or who is on the right and wrong side, the NBA will continue. In this last phase of the regular season, the Pistons are now ready to enter the Fiserv Forum on Monday. Who will have the last laugh? Beasley or Giannis? Place your bets before it’s too late.