Recently, gold-medal winning sprinter Noah Lyles took a dig at NBA stars who call themselves “world champions” after winning the NBA title, pointing out that being the last team standing in a league based in America doesn't warrant such a distinctions. Lyles' dig received widespread attention from players, media and fans alike, resulting in a debate that's yet to die down—and Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo just revived.

NBA stars like Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Damian Lillard quickly reacted to Lyles on social media with strong points of their own. Appearing on Tuesday's edition of the “48 Minutes” podcast, Antetopkounmpo had his own say on the “world champs” debate.

“I wanted to back him up so bad. He received so much backlash for saying the like, obvious,” the Milwukee Bucks superstar said of Lyles. “But I think some people don’t understand it…Maybe it’s just like an arrogance thing. I don’t think in any other sport you are called the ‘world champions.’ In soccer—which is way bigger than the NBA, more popular than the NBA—when the Champions League [is over], they don’t say the ‘world champion.’ In the World Cup, when they play against the USA team, teams around the world, countries around the world, then they say ‘world champs.’ But in the NBA you say ‘world champs.'”

Giannis Antetokounmpo's stance brings a nuanced perspective to the debate, acknowledging the NBA's elite status while questioning the use of the term “world champions” in the context of global sports.

”At the end of the day, in order for you to be the world champ, you have to beat the world. I understand the NBA is the best league in the world, and the talent in the NBA, it’s the best that you will ever see in your life. It’s not even close the best league in the world,” he continued. “But we cannot say you are the world champ because you play in the best league in the world.”