By winning the Olympic gold medal in the 100m, Noah Lyles has given even more scope to the debate on the NBA’s designation of “world champions”.

Recently, it was Dirk Nowitzki who came to put his two cents into the discussion.

For a few days now, the name of Noah Lyles has been resonating around the world. While he was already a 6-time world champion, the American athlete is now an Olympic champion.

Last Sunday, he obtained the title that, until then, was missing from his list of achievements.

It took him 9.79 seconds to win the 100m final, and almost as quickly, the controversy he caused resurfaced.

Can teams that win the NBA Finals be considered “world champions”? In the United States, the answer will be positive in most cases.

This is what attracts a certain amount of criticism to the sprinter in his own country.

But what does Dirk Nowitzki think? As an NBA champion and European basketball legend, he answered in an interview with BasketNews.

Dirk Nowitzki cuts through the Noah Lyles vs. NBA debate

I would say that the 2011 Mavericks and the 2023 German team are both world champions (laughs), but I think the real world champions are the Germans.

I like the NBA championship, we fight hard and for a long time to finally get the title, but the FIBA ​​World Cup is something else.

I understand that it’s up for debate, the NBA is the best league in the world.

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So when they win, they proclaim themselves “world champions”.

But technically, it’s not a world championship.

I can understand both opinions. I played in FIBA ​​and the NBA, so I can understand all the arguments. I don’t think there is only one truth.

But maybe we should say “NBA champions” for the league, and in FIBA, we should call them “world champions”.

That way, there will be no more discussion.

This controversy that divides so much among fans of the American league but also of sports in general is actually more a question of semantics.

As Dirk Nowitzki pointed out, although the NBA has the best players and teams in the world, it remains a national championship.

Subsequently, the former Mavericks superstar gave his opinion on the evolution of international basketball competitions.

I think we must continue to highlight the national teams.

They are already doing a good job. FIBA ​​is currently doing a good job of increasing the stakes of this tournament. Whether it is with EuroBasket, the World Cup, the Olympic Games, all of this always helps. We just need to promote this sport, broadcast the games on TV in all countries.

That’s mainly what needs to be done (…).

In a single sentence, Noah Lyles has sparked one of the most divisive debates in sports in a year.

But if his fellow Americans disagree more with his opinion, he can at least boast that he has Dirk Nowitzki’s support on this issue.