Noah Lyles’ big win at the 2024 Paris Olympics has led different personalities to give their take on his historic gold medal finish. Among those who shared their thoughts was Phoenix Suns All-Star and Team USA shooting guard Devin Booker.
Lyles secured the gold medal for the United States in the 100-meter final at the Paris Olympics, edging out Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson by a mere 0.005 seconds. He recorded a personal-best time of 9.784 seconds, proving his claim to the title of “world’s fastest man”. The race was the closest 100-meter final since at least the 1980 Moscow Olympics, where the margin of victory was similarly tight.
The American was initially unsure if he had won, thinking Thompson had crossed the line first. However, a late lean at the finish line allowed him to edge out his opponent. The victory marked the first time an American has won the prestigious event since Justin Gatlin in 2004.
Lyles now has the opportunity to claim a second gold medal in the 200-meter final on Wednesday, having previously won a bronze in the event at the Tokyo Games. The closely contested final showcased the depth of talent in the sprinting world, with American teammate Fred Kerley taking bronze and the defending Olympic champion Marcell Jacobs of Italy also in the mix.
Around a year ago, Lyles dropped a hot take about NBA players calling themselves champions of the world. In a post shared by ClutchPoints on X, Booker rehashed that topic and expressed his thoughts about the Olympian’s perspective.
Devin Booker says winning an NBA title is harder than an Olympic gold medal 😳
“I still don’t agree with [Noah Lyles]. I feel like all the best talent in the world is in the NBA, and this is coming from an Olympic gold medalist (who believes) that being an NBA champion is… pic.twitter.com/v2xLDus27s
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) August 6, 2024
In 2023, Lyles sparked a debate by questioning whether NBA champions can be considered “world champions.” His comments received backlash from NBA stars, but some, like Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo, agreed with Lyles.
With Lyles gaining a bigger platform due to his Olympic win, NBA stars like Booker may feel compelled to speak out more about their own perspective on the matter. In any case, this won’t be a topic that may see a definite conclusion anytime soon.
