Team USA basketball took a light-hearted jab at American sprinter Noah Lyles following their recent victory in the Olympic gold medal match against France. Lyles had previously stirred controversy by questioning whether NBA champions should be referred to as "world champions," a remark that clearly resonated with the basketball community.
After securing a 98-87 win over France to claim the gold medal, USA Basketball posted on social media platform X, humorously asking, "Are we the World Champs now?" The post was an evident reference to Lyles' earlier comments, where he criticized the use of the term "world champion" for NBA teams. "You know the thing that hurts me the most is that I have to watch the NBA Finals and they have 'world champion' on their head," Lyles had 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. That is not the world."
The playful post from Team USA sparked a mixed reaction among fans. While some appreciated the humor, others pointed out that winning Olympic gold does not necessarily make a team "world champions" in the traditional sense. Critics noted that the title of "world champion" more accurately belongs to the FIBA World Cup winners, currently held by Germany.
One user commented, "GOLD OLYMPIC CHAMPS. FIBA World Cup makes you the world champ." Another added, "Germany Men's Basketball team is still the World Champions, while the USA Men's Basketball team is the Olympic Gold medal Champions. Noah might have been rude, but he was right."
Some fans even defended Lyles, highlighting his impressive achievements. "He really got into your minds... Noah Lyles won the gold in the 100 meters, the most noble event of the Olympic Games. In addition, he won a bronze while he was sick with Covid. He won SIX world championships, now that's winning the world," one fan remarked.
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