Days following of the recent incident surrounding Noah Lyles and other NBA stars, Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Bucks has weighed in. Lyles, a gold medallist in track and field, was criticized by basketball community for his remarks against their sport.
Giannis Antetokounmpo expressed his opinion, which is analogous to Lyles’. This unexpected turn in the ongoing debate adds another dimension to the discussion regarding the differences and parallels across sports and the athletes who thrive in them.
Giannis Antetokounmpo backs Noah Lyles’ remarks
American sprinter Noah Lyles recently ignited a debate by questioning why NBA players refer to themselves as “world champions” when their league operates predominantly within the United States. In an unexpected turn of events, Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Greek-born superstar of the Milwaukee Bucks, voiced his support for Lyles’ stance during an interview on the 48 Minutes podcast.
Antetokounmpo expressed his strong desire to stand by Lyles, emphasizing that the sprinter faced unwarranted criticism for stating what he considered a valid point. The NBA champion noted that, unlike the NBA, other sports, such as soccer, refrain from labeling their champions as “world champions.” He cited the Champions League and the World Cup as prime examples, where teams engage in global competition against counterparts from various nations.
Giannis on Noah Lyles’ comments:
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) September 13, 2023
"I wanted to back him up so bad… He received so much backlash for saying the, like, obvious.”
(via @BleavSports, https://t.co/Mud5lEmYvR) pic.twitter.com/Iit8h35qhp
While acknowledging the NBA’s status as the premier basketball league, Antetokounmpo contended that champions should acknowledge and respect champions in other leagues and countries. Lyles’ comments initially sparked responses from NBA stars like Kevin Durant, Damian Lillard, and Devin Booker.
Antetokounmpo, despite anticipating potential backlash, expressed his concurrence with Lyles’ perspective. He highlighted the NBA’s unique global composition and the absence of an inter-country competition akin to soccer’s Champions League. Despite its exceptional talent pool, the NBA’s self-proclaimed status as “world champions,” according to Lyles and endorsed by Antetokounmpo, is semantically open to scrutiny.
NBA stars slammed Noah Lyles
Olympian Noah Lyles stirred up NBA stars and garnered attention from basketball enthusiast Drake due to his recent comments. Lyles, fresh from securing three gold medals at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, questioned the NBA’s “world champions” label during a press conference. He expressed his perplexity about why the NBA Finals champions called themselves “world champions” when they primarily compete in the United States.
Lyles argued that, while he loves the United States, it does not represent the entire globe. He underlined the global element of track and field, where competitors from every part of the world compete, waving their national flags to show their backing.
NBA stars like as KD, Green, Dame, PJ Tucker, Bam Bam, and Aaron Gordon, among others, slammed Lyles’ remarks on social media. They defended the NBA’s status as a global league since it features outstanding players from all around the world.
The debate highlighted the NBA’s international appeal, with stars such as Joker, Freak, and Luka growing to prominence. Meanwhile, Lyles’ outstanding track record, which includes the fourth-fastest 200-meter time ever recorded internationally, has won him international acclaim.
