US track star Noah Lyles won three gold medals at the 2023 World Championships over the weekend, but that's not the reason NBA stars like Draymond Green, Damian Lillard and Bam Adebayo were talking about him.

Instead it's Lyles' comments about NBA champions calling themselves as “world champions” that had several NBA players buzzing. Of course Lyles did not get congratulatory messages from his fellow Americans and athletes, as many mocked him instead for his rather hot take.

For those who missed it, Lyles recently shared his issue with the NBA champions calling themselves as “world champions,” highlighting the common argument that NBA teams fight against each  other and not against other countries.

“I have to watch the NBA finals and they have world champion on their heads. World champion of what? The United States? Don't get me wrong. I love the US at times. But that ain't the world,” Lyles exclaimed.

Aside from Phoenix Suns stars Kevin Durant and Devin Booker, Draymond Green, Damian Lillard, Bam Adebayo and a number of other NBA players took offense on the statement. In the comments section of an Instagram post by ESPN sharing Lyles' comments, they expressed  their opinions on the matter.

“Lol is somebody going to tell him??” Adebayo wrote. Meanwhile, Lillard only wrote “Tf” along with two laughing emojis.

Green, for his part, said: “When being smart goes wrong.”

Even Denver Nuggets star and reigning world champion Aaron Gordon chimed in, saying: “Whatever… I’m smoking buddy in the 200m.”

To be fair, Noah Lyles is not technically wrong with his comments. He's saying that since the players are not representing countries, they shouldn't be called world champions. That's fair.

However, the way he mocked it is probably why it didn't sit well with Green and co. And to the NBA's point, there's no denying that it's in the Association where the best players in the world play. It's the dream of all basketball players to star in the league.

The NBA should also be given props for developing that kind of branding. Sure there's the Olympics and FIBA World Cup, but the prestige that being  an NBA champion brings is on a different level.