USA basketball team aim cheeky Noah Lyles dig after winning Olympic gold
Team USA basketball secured the Olympic gold medal in the men's tournament after beating France 98-87 in the final as they questioned whether they can now be called 'World Champions'
Team USA's basketball squad clinched the Olympic gold medal in Paris, triumphing over France with a score of 98-87 in a nail-biting final. The American team, demonstrating their dominance, secured their fifth consecutive gold on Saturday.
Despite the electric support for the home team, Team USA maintained composure and a five-point lead by the close of the first quarter. They momentarily lost ground in the third quarter but swiftly regained a five-point lead in the fourth, dashing any hopes of a French comeback.
In a cheeky response to America's 100-meter sprint champion Noah Lyles, who previously criticised NBA teams for dubbing themselves 'World Champions', USA Basketball's social media celebrated the win with a hint of sarcasm.
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Lyles had expressed his frustration, saying, "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," adding, "World champion of what? The United States? Don't get me wrong, I love the U.S., at times, but that ain't the world."
Lyles' remarks did not sit well with basketball enthusiasts, and despite his Olympic glory, he found himself at odds with some patriotic fans, with a few even confessing to rooting against him during the track events in Paris.
The US basketball team's official social media page celebrated their Olympic victory with a post that read: "Are we the World Champs now? " This comment seemed to have been etched in the minds of the players.
However, fans outside of the US were quick to point out that while the American team can call themselves Olympic champions, the current world champions are Germany. They clinched the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup for the first time in their history by defeating Serbia in the final.
The US team finished fourth after losing the third-place match to Canada.
After his 100m victory, Lyles also bagged a bronze medal in the 200m. He was visibly exhausted on the track after crossing the finish line and had to be taken away in a wheelchair.
It was later revealed that he was battling Covid at the time. "I do have Covid," Lyles admitted after his bronze medal run.
"I still wanted to run, they said it was still possible so we stayed away from everybody and took it round by round. I have definitely had better days but I am walking around again
"I was quite light headed after that race and the chest pain was definitely active. After a while I was able to catch my breath and get my wits about me. I am feeling a lot better now. It definitely affected my performance."
