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Noah Lyles & Rai Benjamin spill beans on meeting LeBron James & Kevin Durant at the Olympics after NBA 'world champions' controversy
Noah Lyles and Rai Benjamin recently shared their experience of meeting NBA stars LeBron James and Kevin Durant at the Paris Olympics after the 'world champions' controversy. Lyles emphasized that both players were cordial and that there were no lingering hard feelings.
In August 2023, American sprinter Lyles became a focal point in the sports world after questioning the NBA's claim of being 'world champions.' His comment sparked debate. During the Olympics, the US athletes and NBA players shared the stage at the opening ceremony, creating an 'awkward' moment given the earlier controversy.
Rai Benjamin, alongside Lyles and MrBeast, recently reflected on this experience during an exclusive interview on the 'Beyond the Records' podcast. Benjamin recalled the tension he felt, expecting the situation to be uncomfortable, but it turned out to be much less than anticipated.
"When we were at the Olympics opening ceremony, we're on the boats. I was like, this is gonna be so freaking awkward because now we're all gonna be on the same f*** boat, and everyone's like KD's there, Bronze there, Jason Tatum's there. Bams there. Anthony Edwards there. And I'm just like, 'what the hell is gonna happen,' and like it was like a scene out of a movie, like an Italian mob move. All went pissed up, and Noah like dapped him up and everything, and I was just like 'thank God,'" Benjamin said. (52:16)
Noah Lyles is an Olympic Gold medalist, one-time World Championship silver medalist, five-time Diamond League final winner, and a six-time World Champion. At the 2024 Paris Olympics, he earned two medals — gold in the 100m and bronze in the 200m.
The Olympic champion reflected on his comment on the NBA's 'world champions' following his successful performance at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Noah Lyles reflects on comments on NBA's 'world champions'
Noah Lyles recently reflected on his NBA's 'world champions' comment. The sprinter found himself at the center of controversy after questioning the legitimacy of the NBA's claim, pointing out that its teams primarily compete within the United States.
His remark, 'World champion of what? The United States?,' sparked a heated debate, and the controversy was expected to intensify when the Olympic Gold medalist had to share a boat with NBA players during the Paris Olympics opening ceremony. Reflecting on the event, he shared his perspective, saying:
"I have no animosity toward the NBA. Basketball was my first love. I'm not wishing for the downfall of anybody. The reason I brought that up was to show that the NBA does a good job, with its marketing strategy. They're actual world champions, but they've ingrained the idea so deeply that you can't tell anybody anything else," (via The Guardian).
Despite the controversies, the American sprinter attracted attention at events like 2024 ComplexCon, where he gained recognition and interacted with people passionate about track and field.
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