“I love the U.S… but that ain’t the world!” ❌ Noah Lyles throws shade at the NBA’s ‘world champions’

I have to watch the NBA Finals and they have world champion on their heads. 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… We are the world. We have almost every country out here fighting and thriving and putting on a flag to show that they are represented. There ain’t no flags in the NBA.

  • DillonBrooksEnjoyer@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    I really like that basketball is growing across the globe, but it’s straight up ignorant to insinuate the NBA championship isn’t the single biggest achievement in basketball. Maybe that will change, but it won’t be for a good while.

  • conciselyverbose@kbin.social
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    1 year ago

    Yeah, if you’re one of the best 100 players on the planet, there’s exactly one place you’re going to play, and it’s the NBA. Winning whatever international exhibition you want is fine, but it’s not where the best basketball is.

    • Fordry@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      Exactly, and it dates to decades back when The sport was less popular around the world. But even with the popularity it enjoys today around the world, the NBA is absolutely the top league with nothing even remotely close to it. The NBA champ is the world champ.

  • SirMino
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    1 year ago

    yes! let’s impose our vision on everyone else, we know better!

    classic america

  • alertsleeper@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    You are the World Athletics Championship champion because you won by competing against the best in the world, the same is true in the NBA.

    • phario@lemmy.ca
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      1 year ago

      I find the whole thing a strange debate. The USA Track and Field National Trials are known as some of the most competitive in the world and you might argue the competition is as competitive as an international competition. But it’s not. Nobody who wins Nationals would call themselves a World Champion.

      The NBA Championship might contain the best players in the world but it is not an international competition. It is open only to American teams and to people who have work visas in America (minus one team in Canada). It’s the height of American ignorance to fall it a World Championship.

      As far as I know this isn’t done in hockey. NHL players don’t call themselves World Champions.

      I don’t really understand why this is controversial. It doesn’t invalidate the dominance of American basketball. It only serves to highlight how absolutely ignorant Americans are and their belief that the world centres around USA USA USA.

      Let me get this right. You made up a league only open to American teams and Americans or foreigners with work visas in America. And then you call yourselves the World Champions? Does that sound weird?