PHOENIX — Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker was in attendance for the photo-finish Gold medal won by Team USA track star Noah Lyles yesterday – and he spoke to The Athletic after about controversial statements made by Lyles last summer.

Lyles previously stated that NBA champions should not be labeled as “world champions” – a tag that is frequently put on the yearly title winner in the basketball world.

His comments generated a polarized response, as Booker, Kevin Durant, and Damian Lillard voiced disagreement, while Giannis Antetokounmpo sided with Lyles that title winners should be labeled solely as league-specific.

“I still don’t agree with the comment,” Booker recently stated after Lyles took first in the 100m run. “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.”

While both parties have strong points in the debate, the discrepancy in overall talent between Team USA and the rest of the world should heighten the emphasis on how difficult it truly is to win an NBA title.

“The statement was said. I think how it was said — you know, it was just out of context. I feel like it was something that was weighing on his heart for a long time,” said Booker on Lyles.

“He’s gained a following since then. He held it down, though, so congrats to him.”

Booker was just two wins away from an NBA title as his teams’ best player in 2021 – and ended up winning Gold for the U.S. just weeks later as potentially the fifth-or-sixth best player.

Booker hasn’t advanced past the second round since – as strong as his individual performance has been coupled with quality rosters, the talent in the NBA is just leaps and bounds above the rest of the world.

Simply put, the worst teams in the NBA would be very likely to take down the best of the rest across the world.

Booker will be tasked with trying to bring another Gold to the U.S. over the coming days before putting focus on trying to make the Suns world champions for the first time in franchise history in the 2024-25 season.