"They can call themselves whatever they want" - After Kyle Hines rant, another Euroleague player frets over 'NBA World Champions' debate

The recent debate about the NBA champions being labeled as world champions continues. The argument started a few weeks ago when American sprinter Noah Lyles wondered why the league has historically labeled its champions as world champions even though they don't compete in an international tournament like the World Cup.

NBA players shared that the NBA is the best league in the world, so its champions should be called world champions.

Meanwhile, many others, who play professionally overseas, have different opinions. One of them was EuroLeague legend Kyle Hines, while Bayern Munich guard Andreas Obst also disagreed with the NBA World Champions take.

"In the NBA they say they are world champions because the best players in the world play there, but they are still champions of the domestic league, and we in Germany are the champions of a World Cup," Andreas Obst said in an interview with Eurohoops.net.

"In the NBA, they have always had this attitude, that they are the best at something and you can certainly characterize them with many different things. It’s funny that people are still talking about it. They can call themselves whatever they want, the bottom line doesn’t change. We are the world champions."

Andreas Obst was a member of the national team of Germany that claimed the FIBA World Cup 2023 title a couple of weeks ago in Manila, Philippines. This was the first World Cup title for the Germans, who defeated Team USA 113-111 in the semifinals.

Team USA was considered the favorite for the title, but failed to win it for a second straight edition.

Kyle Hines gives interesting take on NBA World Champions debate

Kyle Hines was a top EuroLeague player who addressed the NBA World Champions topic, offering an interesting take.

"I’d say the NBA is checkers, and Europe is chess," he said in an interview with Basketnews.com, pointing at the different ways the game is being played in the NBA and EuroLeague.

Thus, Hines tried to make a point that NBA players shouldn't be considered world champions just because they win their league. Of course, his comment drew a lot of negative reactions from fans, who noted that Hines should not speak his mind on that debate, since he has never played in the NBA.

To make matters more interesting, Kevin Durant replied to fans on Twitter, saying that there is no way that the EuroLeague is better than the NBA.

Durant is a two-time NBA champion and Finals MVP, while has won three straight gold medals with Team USA in the Olympic Games (2012, 2016, 2020) and a FIBA World Cup title in 2010.

Based on Obst and Hines' recent comments and with NBA superstars continuing to speak their minds on the NBA World Champions debate, we should expect more and more players to give their opinions.