Tyrese Haliburton also claps back at Noah Lyles over ‘world champion’ comment
Team USA’s Tyrese Haliburton. -FIBA PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines-Count Team USA’s Tyrese Haliburton among the NBA players who felt slighted by the comments of American sprinter Noah Lyles about the use of the term “world champion.”
Haliburton felt there was no reason for Lyles to take a swipe at the NBA after winning three golds at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary.
“I really don’t understand the point,” Haliburton said after the Americans’ 109-81 win over Greece in the Fiba World Cup on Monday at Mall of Asia Arena. “The NBA is the best league in the world. It wasn’t the most intelligent response so we’re gonna let that fly.”
Many NBA stars, namely Kevin Durant and Damian Lillard, were quick to clap back at Lyles, who saw no reason why the winners of the league that has 29 American teams and one from Canada as “world champions.”
Lyles was victorious in the 100 meter, 200 meter and 4×100 meter relay during the event before the comments put him in the spotlight.
Noah Lyles, of the United States, celebrates after winning the gold medal in the Men’s 100-meter final during the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary, Sunday, Aug. 20, 2023. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
“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 said in a press conference. “World champion of what? The United States?”
The 26-year-old Lyles is a six-time world champion, adding to his wins in the same three events in 2022.
He claimed bronze in the 200 meter event of the pandemic-delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Haliburton, meanwhile, is looking to become a world champion through the ongoing Fiba tourney which has seen the Americans win their first two games.
Team USA plays Jordan on Wednesday.
