Did Anthony Edwards call Noah Lyles "failed Usain Bolt wannabe?" Debunking T-Wolves' stars viral comment

Noah Lyles' interview with Time Magazine put Anthony Edwards in the spotlight. The former is a track and field star while the latter suits up for the Minnesota Timberwolves in the NBA. Although they excel in different fields, both are Adidas endorsers.

In a sit down with Sean Gregory in June this year, Lyles had this to say about “Ant-Man:”

“You want to do what? You want to invite me to an event for a guy who hasn’t even reached the NBA Finals? In a sport that you don’t even care about? And you’re giving him a shoe? No disrespect—he’s an incredible athlete, having an outstanding year.

"I appreciate that Adidas recognized his potential. But I can’t help but wonder, how did they miss that with me?'”

Anthony Edwards has not responded to those comments but NBACentel, a parody account, took up the fight for Edwards with a post:

“I didn’t even know who this guy was before he said world champs of what, he’s a failed Usain Bolt wannabe.”

The X, formerly Twitter, account has been known to troll mostly NBA players. In this case, they are making an exception for Noah Lyles. Anthony Edwards is quite outspoken and will likely respond to the track star’s comments soon.

Edwards and Lyles were at the Olympics in Paris as part of Team USA. “Ant-Man” helped the USA win a gold medal while Lyles took home the gold in the 100m run. He also added a bronze to his collection by placing third in the 200m.

Noah Lyles’ popularity has surged after his 100m win, the first by the USA in 20 years. The sport, though, is miles behind the NBA in demand and popularity. It made sense for Adidas from a marketing standpoint to give the basketball star a signature shoe line.

The AE 1, which debuted in December 2023, will have a follow-up edition that will be released sometime this year. The AE 2 might drop starting the 2024-25 season. Lyles hopes he gets the same deal with Adidas, particularly after his Olympic gold.

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Jalen Brunson thought Noah Lyles’ shot at Anthony Edwards was a joke

Noah Lyles’ comments about Anthony Edwards promptly spread once the interview was released. It didn’t take long for some NBA players to respond. Jalen Brunson, Anthony Edwards’ teammate in Team USA in the 2023 FIBA World Cup, reacted on X:

“Damn I thought this was Centel”

Once Brunson made that comment, Centel obliged by posting the made-up Edwards response. Many are waiting for the feisty Minnesota Timberwolves' feisty franchise cornerstone to answer Lyles.