After a hard-fought battle, the United States Men’s Basketball team has come out on top over France, defeating them to become gold medalists at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Despite this win and stellar performances from LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Steph Curry, it seems that USA Basketball is focusing on a comment made by a fellow Olympic gold medalist in 2023.
After their victory, USA Basketball shared a photo on social media of the team standing together on the Olympic pedestal bearing a simple question: “Are we the World Champs now?”
Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images
This is in reference to a comment US Olympic runner Noah Lyles made to reporters at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest after he won gold in the Men’s 200m.
“You know the thing that hurts me the most is that I have to watch the NBA Finals and they have ‘world champion’ on they head,” Lyles said. “World champion of what? The United States? Don’t get me wrong, I love the US – at times – but that ain’t the world.”
“We are the world. We have almost every country out here fighting, thriving, putting on their flag to show they are represented. There ain’t no flags in the NBA.”
Multiple fans and NBA players angrily called Lyles out, including Kevin Durant, Draymond Green, and Devin Booker, all of whom have won multiple gold medals at the Olympics.
While Lyles’ comment has definitely ruffled a few feathers, he isn’t wrong. Technically, an argument can be made that the team that wins the NBA Finals isn’t the “World Champion” because the National Basketball Association is exactly that: national. It only represents the United States.
However, because of their dominance at the Olympics, where the USA has won five consecutive gold medals, it’s safe to say that the United States has the best basketball players in the world.
That being said, if anyone can make that kind of comment, it’s Noah Lyles. This year, Lyles took home the gold in the Men’s 100m, barely beating out Kishane Thompson from Jamaica. While both had times of 9.79, Lyles’ torso crossed the finish line first, making him the winner.
On top of this, Lyles also took home bronze in the Men’s 200m after testing positive for COVID-19 two days before the race. He had previously won bronze in the 200m in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Now, Men’s Basketball and Lyles are both Olympic champions in their events. Hopefully, both sides will be able to reconcile their differences and move on.
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