The controversy is a year old, but Noah Lyles’ recent triumph in the 100 meters in Paris has brought it back into the spotlight.
According to the American athletics star, Noah Lyles, fastest man in the world right now, the habit of NBA champion teams calling themselves “world champions” is wrong.
Althought he is one of the least talked about among those in Paris, Devin Booker has been one of the most significant contributors for Team USA so far. The Phoenix guard has earned the appreciation of his teammates and the coaching staff, securing a spot in the starting five.
Booker has earned this through his willingness and ability to adapt to the team’s needs, doing the dirty work on defense without demanding the ball too much or taking too many shots. For the Suns’ star, winning gold is all that matters, even though, according to Booker, an Olympic triumph is not the toughest achievement in a basketball player’s career.
Booker, Lyles, and an Old Controversy
“What he said drove me crazy,” Booker confessed to “The Athletic” about Noah Lyles’ surprising victory in the 100 meters final in Paris. “But I still don’t agree with him.”
“I believe the best talents in the world all play in the NBA,” Booker explained. “I say this as someone who already has an Olympic gold medal around his neck: winning the NBA title is harder than winning the Olympics and therefore it is more important.”
