Olympian Noah Lyles Catches Heat For NBA Comments After He Loses 100M Race To Brit

Posted on by EDITORIAL FEATURES

The 2024 Paris Olympics are in full swing in the French capital, and the United States currently leads the medal count at 64. The track and field segment began over the weekend and all eyes were on U.S. favorites Noah Lyles and Sha’Carri Richardson.


On Sunday (August 4), however, Lyles became a trending Twitter (X) topic for all the wrong reasons. Leading up to the 100-meter race, Lyles maintained his signature bravado, convinced he’d take first. But during Saturday’s (August 3) prelims, British sprinter Louie Hinchliffe beat Lyles, placing him in second. Hinchliffe ran a 9.98, followed closely by Lyles’ 10.04, although both advanced to the men’s 100-meter semifinals.

Shortly after, some comments Lyles made in 2023 following his win at the world championships resurfaced online. Speaking about the NBA, he said, “I have to watch the NBA Finals, and they have world champion on their head. 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. That is not the world.”

Those words came back to haunt him as thousands of people criticized Lyles for losing to a Brit, still angry about his NBA commentary.

Lyles is scheduled to run again on Sunday alongside Marcell Jacobs, Oblique Seville and Akani Simbine, who also advanced.

Noah Lyles lost to a dude from the UK. 😂😂😂😂

Talking all that sh!t about basketball. pic.twitter.com/Vz1CwtYPkw