The Mall of Asia Arena witnessed a historical moment as Germany won its first-ever FIBA Basketball World Cup medal. After handing a stinging 113-111 upset to the USA in the semi-finals, Germany set out to clinch their first gold medal. The German squad reigned supreme after beating Serbia in an 83-77 dominant win. On the other hand, Team USA faced another gutting loss as Canada secured a podium finish. The USA had to return empty-handed after three disappointing defeats. Amidst the noise, track and field star Noah Lyles’ comments resurfaced. This time, it is the Los Angeles Clippers forward who took a hilarious dig at the NBA.
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Clipper’s forward takes a slight dig at Team USA following its humbling loss
The German squad reigned supreme in the 2023 FIBA World Cup. After trailing behind 3 points in the first quarter, Germany made a massive comeback in the third quarter. The 12-point deficit in the third quarter proved insurmountable for the Serbian contingent. Dennis Schroder-led Germany crushed all 8 teams it went against in the tournament to clinch their first-ever gold in the FIBA World Cup. In congratulating them for their dominant win was the 6’8″ Clippers’ forward Nicolas Batum. He took to X to cheer for the German squad. However, his congratulatory note carried a slight jibe at Team USA. He wrote, “Congrats Planet Earth’s champs Germany.”
Congrats Planet Earth’s champs Germany 👏🏽
— Nicolas Batum (@nicolas88batum) September 10, 2023
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His hilarious remark rekindled the dig track and field champion Noah Lyles made after winning the 100m and 200m events at the 2023 World Athletics Championships. In the interview, Lyles thrashed the NBA sentiments by calling them out for referring to themselves as world champions. He posed a fair question, asking how can someone be a world champion when they have not battled it out in an internationally competitive environment. Following a barrage of criticism, it appears some NBA stars are taking a more playful approach.
Did Team USA prove Noah Lyles right?
Noah Lyles’ comments have proved to be somewhat true. Following the elimination from the title contention, Canada shattered Team USA’s only hope of reclaiming lost glory. After Germany brutally crushed the USA’s golden hopes, Canada delivered a gut-wrenching 127-118 upset. Canada had lost to Serbia in the semifinals but made a comeback by bagging the bronze medal. It is also the first time Canada has finished above the USA.
The rosters of both Canada and the USA are filled with star-studded NBA players. In this wake, the exit of both teams reaffirms Lyles’ “World champion of what” comment. Granted, the US team’s roster was not all that flattering, but it was still instrumental in helping their teams win the NBA Championships. Notably, German phenom Dennis Schroder is also an NBA player. With 28 points, the Boston Celtics’ guard significantly contributed to their victory against Serbia.
After a humbling exit from the 2023 FIBA World Cup, fans can only hope that their favorite team makes a miraculous comeback at the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics.
Watch this story: “A Lot of Air Balls”: NBA Critic Noah Lyles Has the Last Laugh Following Team USA’s Shocking FIBA World Cup Exit
Written by
Edited by
Saumya Khanduja