Devin Booker still disagrees with Noah Lyles.
It’s been almost a year since the US sprinter incurred the wrath of Booker and several other NBA players by ridiculing the practice of calling the winner of that league’s title “world champion.”
“World champion of what? The United States?” Lyles said in a mocking tone during a press conference on August 25, 2023, at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary. He had just won his third consecutive world title in the 200 meters, in addition to gold in the 100 and with the 4×100 relay at the same event.
Lyles won his first Olympic gold medal on Sunday by leaning over the finish line in the 100-meter dash, beating Kishane Thompson of Jamaica by five thousandths of a second, 9.784 seconds to 9.789 seconds.
Booker, the Phoenix Suns star in Paris who is seeking his second Olympic gold medal with the U.S. men’s basketball team, competed in the track and field competitions at the Stade de France on Sunday along with Team USA teammates Joel Embiid and Jayson Tatum, assistant coach Tyronn Lue and general manager Grant Hill.
Read more:The timekeepers determined Noah Lyles’ victory over 100 meters by a narrow margin
Of course, Booker was blown away by Lyle’s amazing finish.
“It was crazy,” Booker told the Athletic. “I mean, it was great for America. Congratulations to him.”
When Lyles made his “World champion of what?” comment last year, Booker responded with a facepalm emoji.
And now?
“I still don’t agree with the comment,” Booker said. “I feel like all the best talent in the world is in the NBA, and that’s coming from an Olympic gold medalist (who believes) it’s probably harder to become an NBA champion.”
Read more:Noah Lyles explains how he won the Olympic men’s 100m final in a photo finish
Booker has spent all nine of his NBA seasons with the Suns, who have never won a championship (though they came heartbreakingly close in 2021, losing 4-2 to the Milwaukee Bucks in the Finals), so he can put things in perspective.
However, Booker also admitted that he understands Lyles’ concerns. The sprinter had been asked about the state of track and field and expressed frustration at the lack of recognition these athletes receive compared to their counterparts in the NBA and other more popular sports in the United States.
“I think the way it was said – you know, it was just taken out of context,” Booker said. “I feel like it was something that had been on his mind for a long time.”
After winning the Olympic gold medal, Lyles made it clear that he was aiming for a prize usually enjoyed only by NBA stars, telling ESPN’s Coley Harvey that he wanted a shoe deal.
“I want my own shoes,” Lyles said, adding, “I want a sneaker. You can’t make money with spikes.”
Read more:Live updates on the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris: results, medal table and TV schedule
On Monday, Lyles won his heat in the opening round of the men’s 200-meter race, a first step on his way to improving on his bronze medal in that event at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. He will also compete in the 4×100-meter relay later this week.
The U.S. men’s basketball team will play against Brazil in the quarterfinals on Tuesday.
Get the day’s best, most interesting and weirdest stories from the LA sports scene and beyond from our newsletter, The Sports Report.
This story originally appeared in the Los Angeles Times.
