Noah Lyles Gets Clap Back From NBA Stars After World Champions Comment
CBS Sports reported that following his victory in the 200-meter event at the World Athletics Championships in Hungary on Friday (August 25), Lyles shared his view on why NBA champions should not be considered world champions.
"I have to watch the NBA Finals and they have world champion on their heads," Lyles said. "World champion of what? The United States? Don't get me wrong. I love the U.S. at times. But that ain't the world.
"We are the world. We have almost every country out here fighting and thriving and putting on a flag to show that they are represented. There ain't no flags in the NBA,” he continued.
According to Lyles, the NBA is primarily geared to Americans, with the exception of the Toronto Raptors as the only franchise outside of the continental United States, and Olympic sports athletes take on competition from all over the world.
In response to Lyles' rhetoric, several NBA stars weighed in on the matter including Kevin Durant who shared that the sprinter’s viewpoint was dead wrong.
"Somebody help this brother," the Phoenix Suns star wrote on Instagram.
Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard had a simple but direct reaction commenting "Tf" with laughing emojis.
Aaron Gordon of the 2022-23 champion Denver Nuggets challenged Lyles to a 200m race.
"Whatever… I'm smoking buddy in the 200m," Gordon wrote on social media.
“Why bro care so much?" Sacramento Kings star De'Aaron Fox questioned on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors also wrote, "When being smart goes wrong."
Although his remarks about the title of world champion have rubbed numerous NBA players the wrong way, Lyles’ display of dominance on the track can not be denied. Over the course of the World Athletics Championships, Lyles took home gold medals in the 100m, 200m, and the 4x100m relay.
However, Lyles did get the support of one of his Team USA teammates.
World Athletics gold medalist Sha’Carri Richardson who defeated her Jamaican rivals in the 100m race, said in a message on X (formerly Twitter) that it takes competing internationally to be called a World Champion.
