FIBA official Twitter trolls Boston Celtics account for 'World Champions' claim
The International Basketball Federation (FIBA) trolled the Boston Celtics for claiming to be 'World Champions' after they clinched the 2024 NBA championship title on Monday. The Celtics shared their championship post on X, formerly Twitter, which the team captioned "2024 WORLD CHAMPIONS."
FIBA's X handle reshared the post and attached a picture of the 2023 FIBA World Cup champions in response to the claim.
The FIBA World Cup is held every four years and Germany won the 2023 FIBA World Cup while Serbia placed second and Canada secured third.
Team USA has not won it since they won back-to-back titles in 2010 and 2014. They missed out on a podium finish having placed fourth in the 2023 tournament after Team USA was defeated 127-118 in overtime by Team Canada in their bid for the bronze medal.
However, Team USA has secured podium finishes in all of the Olympics Basketball except in Moscow 1980. They have secured gold 16 times, silver once, and bronze twice, and have also clinched gold in the last four Olympics after securing a bronze in Athens 2004.
Athletics world champion comments on NBA winners labeling themselves 'World Champions'
After winning multiple gold medals in the 2023 World Athletics Championships, USA Athletics star Noah Lyles shared a personal grievance he had about the NBA. Lyles called out the NBA champions for labeling themselves 'World Champions' despite the league being based almost exclusively in the United States.
"The thing that hurts me the most is that I have to watch the NBA Finals and they have 'World Champions' on their head," Lyles said. "World champion of what? The United States?"
"Don't get me wrong, I love the US, at times, but that ain't the world. That is not the world. We are the world," Lyles continued.
"We have almost every country out here fighting, thriving, putting on their flag to show that they are represented. There ain't no flags in the NBA."
Team USA will look to re-attain the World Champion title with yet another gold in the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics. They are going all out with their star-studded roster which includes LeBron James, Steph Curry, Joel Embiid, Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis, Jayson Tatum, Kawhi Leonard, Devin Booker, Jrue Holiday and Bam Adebayo.