It was quite simple for Steve, really.
There’s an ongoing debate about whether or not a team can call itself a world champion upon winning the NBA title.
This was sparked by USA sprint king Noah Lyles, who said he is hurt when teams call themselves world champions after their NBA conquest.
“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 US at times, but that ain’t the world.”
He made the comment after bagging the gold medal in the 100m and 200m sprint at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest almost a week ago.
Naturally, it didn’t sit well with NBA players like Phoenix Suns’ superstar Kevin Durant.
“Somebody help this brother,” Durant, himself a two-time champion, said on social media.
The topic was also brought up after Team USA opened the second round of the FIBA World Cup with an 85-73 win over Montenegro on Friday at the Mall of Asia Arena.
A reporter asked USA coach Steve Kerr whether he would consider himself world champion if he won the FIBA World Cup and if he considered himself one when he won it all— several times—in the NBA.
“Both,” said Kerr curtly.
The amiable mentor is both a champion as player and coach in the NBA. With the Americans steamrolling their way to a 4-0 win-loss record, a gold medal in the quadrennial showpiece is not farfetched.
USA will next face the Jonas Valanciunas-led Lithuania on Sunday.
(MDB)