Under Maintenance

We deeply apologize for interrupting your reading but Vendetta is currently undergoing some important maintenance! You may experience some layout shifts, slow loading times and dififculties in navigating.

Devin Booker says winning NBA Finals is ‘probably’ harder than winning Gold in Olympics

Last Modified: August 5, 2024

Devin Booker
USA guard Devin Booker won a Gold Medal in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics but has yet to capture an elusive NBA Title. (John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports)

Devin Booker says winning NBA Finals is ‘probably’ harder than winning Gold in Olympics

Last August, six-time World Champion and now-Olympic gold medalist Noah Lyles sparked a huge debate across sports for what it means to be a world champion. He specifically referenced the NBA and its players for dubbing themselves “world champions” when they win the NBA Finals each year.

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,” Lyles said.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. We are the world. 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.”

Plenty of NBA players didn’t take kindly to Lyles’ arbitrary stray; others, like Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo, agreed with Lyles, but were in the minority.

Lyles took home the gold in the 100m by fifth one-hundredths of a second on Sunday. Devin Booker, in search for his second straight Gold with Team USA, continued to express his disagreement with Lyles’ comment when talking about Lyles’ remarkable finish with The Athletic Monday.

“I still don’t agree with the comment,” Booker said, according to Sam Amick of The Athletic. “I feel like all the best talent in the world is in the NBA, and this is coming from an Olympic gold medalist (who believes) that being an NBA champion is probably harder to do.”

Booker made it to the NBA Finals against Antetokounmpo in the COVID-shortened 2020-21 season, falling short in six games.

For a player like Booker–who’s forced to play a role on Team USA’s 12-man roster, where it’s by far the most talented group in the field–he’s right. USA has won four straight gold medals and is the heavy favorite to clinch their fifth. Never say never, especially when international basketball globally has gradually improved.

Conversely, a player like New Orleans Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado, who’s suiting up for a Puerto Rico country that clinched the Olympics for the first time since 2004, it’s not as easy to say that. There are multiple factors you have to contextualize.

Lyles isn’t technically wrong, but Booker’s also right to say that all the best talent is in the NBA with three of arguably the best five players in the world (Nikola Jokic, Antetokounmpo, Luka Doncic) all coming from Europe. The league features 125 international players representing 40 different countries … and it’s only continuing to grow worldwide.

***

Subscribe to Vendetta’s Twitch

Subscribe to Vendetta’s YouTube

Check out the Vendetta Shop

Click here for more NBA content

Share Matt Hanifan post!

Table Of Contents

Recent Posts

Naz Reid

Naz Reid signs five-year, $125 million extension with Timberwolves

Naz Reid signs five-year, $125 million extension with Timberwolves Minnesota Timberwolves big man Naz Reid isn’t going anywhere! While he was expected to opt out of his $15 million player…

Read More
Masai Ujiri

Raptors fire president Masai Ujiri

Raptors fire president Masai Ujiri The Toronto Raptors have fired president Masai Ujiri after 13 seasons, the team announced Friday. “During his 13 seasons with the Raptors, Masai has helped…

Read More
Diontae Johnson

Diontae Johnson Thinks Kenny Pickett Will Win Starting Job

Diontae Johnson Thinks Kenny Pickett Will Win Starting Job The Cleveland Browns have one of the most unorthodox QB rooms maybe ever. They have five quarterbacks on their depth chart…

Read More

Categories

Close Window

23809 Posts Found

Please hold while we search for your results.