Josh Jackson and Beno Speak Ahead Of 1v1 at Redemption

When Ballislife first unveiled the One on One Championship this summer, we introduced the idea of adding individual weight classes to provide more structure to the sport. At Redemption in Detroit next week, the “Big Man” division will be introduced to the world for the first time with a truly captivating matchup. 

Former NBA star Josh Jackson is entering the space to take on 2025 Big 3 Newcomer of the Year and rising 1v1 star Cameron “Beno” Smith on September 26. For Jackson, this matchup is a chance to immediately prove himself against arguably the most prominent big wing in the sport. For Beno, it’s a chance to earn a win over a player that has a deeper basketball resume than just about any pro who’s stepped onto the scene at this point. 

JJ – Ballislife Legend

Jackson first came to prominence at Detroit’s Consortium College Prep before transferring to Prolific Prep (then in California), where he rose to national stardom after his Ballislife mixtape gained over 1.8 million views. He was one of the biggest names of the mixtape era and one of the defining prep talents of the late 2010s.

“Ballislife helped showcase the player I was becoming over the years, and it’s a full-circle moment to take this stage in my city,” Jackson said. “I know what it means to represent Detroit. I’m coming to compete, win, and give the fans everything I’ve got.”

From there, Jackson went on to earn All-American honors in his lone season at Kansas before being selected fourth overall by the Phoenix Suns in the 2017 NBA Draft. Jackson had stints with four NBA teams and notably played a season and a half for his hometown Pistons, averaging a career high 13.4 points per game in 2020-21. Now, he has to prepare himself for a test that several former NBA players before him have tried and failed at. And he gets to do it in a place that means more to him than anywhere else.

“Detroit is home, and this city has always been a part of who I am. Getting the chance to step on the court and hoop in front of my city means a lot to me. I’m excited for everybody to come out. I’ve watched and respected the 1v1 scene for a long time, so being on the Ballislife stage is something I don’t take lightly.”

BENO!

Make no mistake, however. Jackson isn’t the only pro taking the court in this matchup. On top of Beno’s highly successful run in the Big 3, he also had a stint in the G-League with the San Diego Clippers and played three seasons for Division I Cal State-Bakersfield before turning pro. Beno is ready for the challenge of beating someone as prominent as Jackson, and he’s confident he’ll do so as someone with professional 5v5, 3v3, and 1v1 experience. 

“When I first got the call, I was excited to match up with a player as prolific as he is,” Beno said. “He’s played at the highest level. I’m looking to obviously spoil his homecoming, but he’s not the only pro here, you know what I’m saying? A lot of people are neglecting that fact. It feels like I got the advantage coming to this game because I’m younger, I should have a step on him. I got more experience, a couple more games in the 1v1 space. I feel good going into this game”

The fact that Beno has proven he can dominate just about any style of basketball makes him one of the more intriguing talents in the entire sport. At 6’7, he’s a serviceable wing at the G-League level and he especially excels as a scorer in the Big 3. Beno enters the 1v1 arena with what he calls a “boxer’s approach”, which emphasizes brute force more than it does basketball IQ.

“To prepare for a one-on-one match, I pretty much take a boxer’s approach,” Beno said. “It’s more of a mono y mono situation compared to 3s and 5s, where there’s going to be more IQ involved. There are more things than just checking up and playing 1v1 with four dribbles. So when I’m training for 1v1, I just use a boxer’s approach.”

Making Weight

Beno has sometimes been at a disadvantage in his 1v1 matchups against smaller, shiftier players, but the experience he’s gained and what he’s added to his craft by taking those games makes him the instant favorite to take over the Big Man division, which will likely consist mostly of ex-pros. A win over Jackson at Redemption will officially make him the division’s first face, and he might not give up that distinction any time soon once he receives it.

“This weight class is cool,” Beno said. “I’ve always wanted a matchup like this, especially someone that’s 6’6, 6’7. A lot of my matches have been against much shorter opponents. It’s a give and take, there are pros and cons to those things, but I feel like me matching up with somebody that’s my stature, I get to really show my arsenal.”

While Beno would never duck an NBA player who wanted to take him on in the 1v1 space, he admitted that the ex-pros aren’t nearly as tough to go against as the YouTube guys who live and breathe the space and know all of its ins and outs. In fact, Beno insists there’s no change in his mindset when he’s going up against an NBA player compared to any other time he steps on the court.

“There’s no difference,” Beno said. “Making it to the NBA, a lot of variables have to play a part. I feel like checking up with the YouTube guys is much tougher than matching up with an NBA pro. Just because those YouTube guys, they got a lot of experience. They know a lot of tactics, a lot of the cheat codes. When to use the timeout, how to foul, strategies. I feel like pros coming into it don’t expect how the game feels and how it really is. I feel like they realize it as they play.”

Ballislife Event Information: Get Your Tickets!

Ballislife’s REDEMPTION is a must-see event for all hoops fans. Come see the show at Renaissance High School in the Motor City.

Tickets are available for purchase NOW through Eventbrite and you can even guy them online while you’re waiting in line the day of the event.

Can’t attend in person or live outside of the Motor City? No problem! Ballislife is offering online pay-per-view (PPV) access, allowing hoops fans to view and purchase events streamed on Ballislife’s main YouTube channel.

The members-only PPV stream is $19.99 if you sign up and pay on your internet browser/computer. If you sign up on your phone through the app, Google & Apple will add an additional $5.

REDEMPTION – How to Watch:

>Step 1: Click the “Join” button on the Ballislife YouTube page.
>Step 2: Select and Purchase “PPV Membership.”
>Step 3: You’re all set—enjoy the show!

If you’re attending in person, you can purchase tickets here!

Event Details!

Event Date: Saturday, September 26, 2026
Event Commissioner: Devin Williams (aka Devinthelab)
Event Location: Renaissance High School – 6565 Outer Drive West, Detroit, MI 48235
Event Time: 2:30 p.m. ET to 10 p.m. ET (Doors open at 2 PM ET)
Parking: FREE
Buy Tickets Online: CLICK HERE
In-Person Reserved Seats: $50 (Before Fees and Subject to Availability)
VIP Courtside: $200 (Before Fees and Subject to Availability)

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