Noah Lyles throws shade at Anthony Edwards in resurfaced TIME Magazine interview, continues to be the most unlikeable Olympic athlete in America

Noah Lyles just can’t help himself. An interview with TIME Magazine back in June resurfaced over the weekend at the conclusion of the 2024 Paris Olympics. In the TIME feature, Noah Lyles expressed how unhappy he was that his sponsor Adidas invited him to an Anthony Edwards signature shoe release while he felt like he was deserving of his own running sneaker.

Noah Lyles TIME Magazine Interview:

Damn I thought this was Centel https://t.co/jgTuPK0JIH

— Jalen Brunson (@jalenbrunson1) August 11, 2024

“You want to do what?” Lyles was quoted as saying. “You want to invite me to [an event for] a man who has not even been to an NBA Finals? In a sport that you don’t even care about? And you’re giving him a shoe?

“No disrespect, the man is an amazing athlete,” added Lyles of Edwards. “He is having a heck of a year. I love that they saw the insight to give him a shoe, because they saw that he was going to be big. All I’m asking is, ‘How could you not see that for me?’”

The article does note that Lyles was in the midst of a contract negotiation with Adidas at the time of the interview. He has since agreed on a new deal but I’m not really convinced that would change what he said or how he would have reacted to fellow Adidas athlete, NBA superstar, and Olympic Gold Medalist Anthony Edwards getting a signature shoe before he was even offered one.

Listen, I know Olympic Gold medalists are absolute freaks – both athletically and mentally. Being overly confident is part of the bill and Noah Lyles fits it perfectly. I do think it’s fair to criticize his lack of self-awareness. The fact that Lyles thinks Track & Field is comparable to the NBA is laughable.

I actually liked Noah Lyles but the more and more he actually speaks, the less and less I feel that way.

Trust me, I understand the reasoning behind it. Lyles is a track athlete and really only has one moment every four years to make a statement and grab headlines. There is quite literally no other time until the Olympics head to Los Angeles in 2028 that’s better for Lyles to grab as much attention as possible. 

At the Paris Olympic Games last week, Lyles won his first Olympic gold media in a photo finish at the Men’s 100 Meter event – a race that carries the “Fastest Man in the World” nickname, which Lyles definitely deserves.

It was the first gold medal in the event awarded to an American since 2004 and it made it even better because he “stood on business” after calling out NBA players a year before, criticizing the NBA’s notion of labeling the team who wins the NBA Finals as ‘World Champions”.

Noah Lyles on NBA / Team USA players

"I love the U.S… but that ain't the world!" ❌

Noah Lyles throws shade at the NBA's 'world champions' 🏀👀 pic.twitter.com/BRCJagckcK

— Eurosport (@eurosport) August 27, 2023

“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,” he 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…We are the world.”

Noah Lyles’ comments caught the attention of several NBA players and members of Team USA, prompting responses from Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, Damian Lillard, and Aaron Gordon on social media.

Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and other NBA players respond to Noah Lyles' comments. pic.twitter.com/O1eApkNpFG

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) August 28, 2023

Noah Lyles has been one of the more outspoken American athletes competing in the 2024 Olympics. He already crowned himself the fastest man in the world and stood on business by winning the actual event.

Again, all that was fantastic. I even wrote about how badass Noah Lyles was for talking shit and then standing by it and winning a Gold Medal. 

However…

To continue running your mouth, even more so when it’s in regard to a fellow American gold medalist and a member of Team USA Men’s Basketball, Anthony Edwards, then maybe it’s time to follow the advice of Dave Chappelle and just….shut the fuck up?

Noah Lyles stands on business, takes home ‘Fastest Man in the World’ honors in 100 Meter Event at the Olympics >>

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