American sprinter Noah Lyles won the 200-meter event at the World Athletics Championships in Hungary on Friday. However, it wasn’t Lyles’ performance on the track that made the most headlines.
After his victory, Lyles commented on the titles given to American sports 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.”
Shortly after Lyles made these remarks, players from the NBA community expressed their opinions.
“Somebody help this brother,” Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant wrote on Instagram. Durant’s teammate, Devin Booker, added a face palm emoji in response to Lyles’ controversial comments.
Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon also expressed his desire to challenge Lyles to a 200-meter race.
“Whatever… I’m smoking buddy in the 200m,” Gordon wrote on social media.
Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo also added, “Lol is somebody going to tell him??”
“Why does this guy care so much?” questioned Sacramento Kings star De’Aaron Fox. Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green also weighed in, writing, “When being smart goes wrong.”
Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard, who still wants to be traded, simply commented “Tf” in response to Lyles.
Lyles won three gold medals at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest this past weekend and also earned a bronze medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The 26-year-old has not yet responded to the comments made by NBA players about his initial interview.
