"If you look at my comment you'll have people in the U.S. versus the World" - Noah Lyles opens up on his feisty NBA comment

Noah Lyles has spoken out on the divergent reactions to his contentious comment regarding the NBA.

Lyles had called out NBA players for referring to themselves as world champions during a press conference at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest.

The sprinter received mixed responses to his statement from NBA players and other sportsmen.

NBA star Kevin Durant said:

"Somebody help this brother."

Former American footballer Robert Griffin III, however, shared Lyles' viewpoint.

"Noah Lyles is right. Winning an NBA championship doesn't make you a world champion," Griffin said.

In a recent interview, Lyles opined that while people in the US would disagree with his comments, the rest of the world was on his side.

"It's funny if you look at my comment you'll have people in the U.S. v/s the World," he said. "You know everybody in the world is very much on my side. Everybody in the U.S. is usually leaning toward the opinion of the NBA. But again that just goes to show how we view ourselves in the U.S. and again I'm just glad that we're having the conversation."

Despite the mixed reactions, Lyles said he was happy that the topic was at last being discussed.

"It's been underlined for so long but nobody really wanted to talk about it and you know with everybody saying things about it now, you have dialogues and of course, maybe there will be opinions that change, and maybe they won't. But at least we are having the conversation," he concluded.

Noah Lyles wins men's 200m at Zurich Diamond League

Noah Lyles at the medal ceremony for the men's 200m at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary

After his stellar showing at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Noah Lyles returned to the track in Zurich to get his hands on another gold medal in the men's 200m.

Lyles won the 200m at the Diamond League Zürich Weltklasse meet ahead of second-placed Erriyon Knighton. Lyles completed his race in a time of 19.80 seconds while Knighton ran it in 19.87 seconds.

Great Britain's Zharnel Hughes had to settle for third place with a time of 19.94 seconds while Kenney Bednarek was the fourth to cross the finish line with a time of 19.98 seconds.

Lyles won three medals in Budapest including two individual golds in 100m and 200m and one team gold in 4x100m along with Fred Kerley, Brandon Carnes, and Christian Coleman.