Devin Booker goes from facepalm emoji to congratulating Noah Lyles: ‘Great for America’

Devin Booker still doesn’t agree with Noah Lyles.

It’s been nearly a year since the U.S. sprinter drew the ire of Booker and several other NBA players by ridiculing the practice of referring to the winner of that league’s title as the “world champion.”

“World champion of what? The United States?” Lyles said in a mocking tone during an Aug. 25, 2023, news conference at the track and field world championships in Budapest, Hungary. He had just won his third straight world title in the 200 meters, to go along with golds in the 100 and 4×100 relay at the same meet.

Lyles won his first Olympic gold medal Sunday, leaning across the finish line in the 100 to beat Kishane Thompson of Jamaica by five-thousandths of a second, 9.784 seconds to 9.789.

Booker, the Phoenix Suns star in Paris looking to win his second Olympic gold medal with the U.S. men’s basketball team, attended Sunday’s track and field events at the Stade de France, along with Team USA teammates Joel Embiid and Jayson Tatum, assistant coach Tyronn Lue and managing director Grant Hill.

Naturally, Booker was blown away by Lyles’ fantastic finish.

“It was crazy,” Booker told the Athletic. “I mean, it was great for America. Congrats to him.”

When Lyles’ made his “world champion of what?” comment last year, Booker responded with a facepalm emoji.

And now?

“I still don’t agree with the comment,” Booker said. “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.”

Booker has spent all nine of his NBA seasons with the Suns, who have never won a championship (although they came heartbreakingly close in 2021, losing to the Milwaukee Bucks in the finals, four games to two), so he has some perspective on the matter.

But Booker also acknowledged that he understands where Lyles was coming from. The sprinter had been asked about the state of track and field and was expressing frustration with the lack of recognition those athletes receive in relation to their counterparts in the NBA and other more popular sports in the U.S.

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

After winning Olympic gold, Lyles made it clear he has his sights set on some spoils more typically enjoyed by NBA stars, telling ESPN’s Coley Harvey he wants a shoe deal.

“I want my own shoe.” Lyles said, adding, “I want a sneaker. Ain’t no money in spikes.”

On Monday, Lyles won his heat in the opening round of the men’s 200, a first step in his quest to improve on his bronze medal in the event at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. He will also compete in the 4×100 relay later this week.

The U.S. men’s basketball team plays Brazil in the quarterfinal round Tuesday.