One track runner has hit out at the NBA, triggering a huge backlash from players of the league after he mocked the Nuggets for calling themselves “World Champions” despite not playing teams from across the world.
NBA “World Champions”
A surprising feud emerged as track and field sensation Noah Lyles triggered a basketball uproar with his comments about NBA players and their “world champion” title.
Lyles took aim at NBA players’ self-proclaimed “world champion” status, leading to a hilarious social media showdown.
During a press conference, Lyles questioned the NBA’s claim to being “world champions” and challenged the scope of their title.
“But That Ain’t the World”
Lyles took aim at NBA teams who claim to be “World Champions” despite only playing teams from the US, “I love the US” he said, “But that ain’t the world” Lyles argued.
Lyles’ remarks created a ripple effect as NBA stars, including Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Aaron Gordon, responded on social media.
Kevin Durant and Devin Booker took a lighthearted approach, with Durant saying, “Somebody help this brother,” while Booker simply responded with the face-palm emoji.
“Is Somebody Gonna Tell Him?”
Reigning NBA champion Aaron Gordon threw down the gauntlet, challenging Noah Lyles to a race, “Whatever… I’m smoking buddy in the 200m,” he put.
Lyles, who boasts three gold medals at the 2023 World Championships, remains silent as Gordon’s race challenge awaits a response.
Miami Heat’s Bam Adebayo weighed in, questioning whether someone would enlighten Lyles about the significance of the NBA’s “world champion” label, “Lol is somebody gonna tell him?”
Defending the NBA
Olympic gold medalist Damian Lillard and other star players dismiss Lyles’ comments, asserting the NBA’s global competitive edge with a shocking expletive comment.
Former with the Utah Jazz, Juan Toscano-Anderson passionately defended the NBA, “Last time I checked, the NBA was the best competition in the WORLD.”
When reposted on Twitter, some popular British accounts decided to take a poke at the NBA, with one saying, “I don’t understand why straight facts have caused such an uproar.”
Crème de la Crème of Basketball
Best in the World NBA players unanimously highlight the league’s unmatched talent pool, emphasizing that the NBA houses the crème de la crème of basketball.
A seasoned NBA guard Austin Rivers, joined the conversation, expressing discomfort over Lyles’ comments, “Best players in the world play in the league. So… winning a NBA championship qualifies as world champs. [I don’t know] what’s more cringe, his comment or his voice and delivery.”
Should NBA teams be classed as “World Champions” even though they don’t play teams from other countries? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
The post “But That Ain’t the World” – NBA’s ‘World Champions’ Title Mocked by Athlete: Players Hit Back with Face-Palms and Race Challenges first appeared on The Net Worth Of.
Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / Oleksiy Naumov