- Damian Lillard was one of the stars to take offense to Noah Lyles’ “world champions” comments
- Lillard has now doubled down on his stance
- Lillard says the best team in the NBA would dominate teams from other leagues
Damian Lillard certainly isn’t changing his opinion of the NBA champions being the true world champions. Lillard recently made an appearance on Back On Figg, where he was asked about the debate, and he explained why he strongly believes NBA champions deserve to be called that.
“The NBA champs is world champs,” Lillard said. “I’ve been seeing everybody, because they lost in the World Cup, everybody like, ‘Oh, see we told you.’ But the best players in the world play in the NBA. All the best players in that tournament play in the NBA.”
The seven-time All-Star says the best team in the NBA would dominate teams from every other league.
“If you take the best team in the NBA and just send them on a tour to play in the best leagues everywhere else, they getting smoked,” Lillard continued. “Take the best players from the NBA, and put them in every league against all the best teams, whatever, they getting smoked… I don’t understand what the debate is.”
(starts at 1:46:45 mark):
Lillard was among the stars who had hit back at Noah Lyles after he called out the NBA for calling their title winners world champions. In Dame’s mind, there is absolutely nothing to debate here.
The World Champion Debate
I was honestly shocked at how some NBA players reacted to Lyles’ comments. What he said wasn’t exactly breaking news and over the years, many have made the same case he did. In fact, Greg Popovich once stated it doesn’t make sense for an NBA team to call themselves world champions.
If I can put it in simple terms, the team that wins the NBA championship is the best team in the world, but they can’t officially have the tag of world champions. Those are two separate things.
The NBA is a league that is limited to North America, with just one non-U.S.-based team, the Toronto Raptors. Players from around the world do compete in it, sure, but no team from Europe or anywhere else can take part. You technically cannot be the world champion, when there is no way for some teams across the world to compete.
The best example I can find to prove the point comes from European soccer. The UEFA Champions League is the best club competition in the world, with the best players from around the world playing in it.
The winner of the competition is really the best team in the world, but they call themselves Champions of Europe, as it is only a competition for European clubs.
Will Damian Lillard Play In The 2024 Olympics?
This debate really heated up after Team USA failed to win a medal at the 2023 FIBA World Cup. They lost to Germany in the semifinals and then to Canada in the third-place game. The world was seemingly dancing on their graves, but I think it’s safe to say that won’t be happening in 2024.
LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Stephen Curry are all reportedly playing for Team USA at the 2024 Olympics. That report also stated that Lillard would be interested in playing.
During this episode, Lillard was asked if he’d join LeBron, Durant, and Curry, to which he stated he doesn’t have the luxury to say that. The 33-year-old isn’t sure he’d be picked and says the only ones who can say they are going for sure are those three. It seems clear he wants to play, and I think he will make the team.
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