Knicks Legend Calls Out Noah Lyles

Former New York Knicks star Carmelo Anthony is the latest NBA stand to join the war of words against Noah Lyles.

Aug 10, 2024; Paris, France; Carmelo Anthony cheers in the second half against France in the men's basketball gold medal game during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Accor Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Sports / Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Sports

Former New York Knicks star Carmelo Anthony is urging Team USA Olympic track gold medalist to run from this battle.

Anthony is the latest to enter the war of words with Lyles, who drew the ire of NBA fans and players when he questioned the legitimacy of NBA Finals victors labeling themselves "world champions" when all but one team resides on United States soil. Lyles has faced further heat for reportedly rejecting an invite to an Adidas event center around current Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards.

Speaking on his web series "7PM in Brooklyn," Anthony advised Lyles to end his battle against the Association while pledging his support to his continued endeavors in track.

"Why do you keep shooting at the NBA?" Anthony rhetorically asked. "If you want to shoot, shoot at the fact that y'all ain't no have y'all league of y'all own. Shoot at that. They ain't pouring money into that sport, which they should be."

"You want to be the world champion, Olympic gold medalist. Fine, we support you 1,000 percent. But don't be comparing that to all the other (stuff) we have going here. It's incomparable. You can't compare it ... Let's do this together. Let's support everyone. We're in this together. When we're (at the Olympics) we support everybody."

Lyles' original comments certainly would not apply to Anthony: in addition to the three gold medals he won at the Olympic level, he also took home a title at the FIBA Basketball World Cup (then known as the FIBA World Championship) in 2006.

Though Anthony told Lyles to stand down, the two may have more in common than they may think: in a recent interview with Domantas Urbonas of BasketNews, Anthony admitted that he would not trade in any of his Olympic gold for an NBA title, perhaps the one thing missing from an accomplished NBA career that featured six-plus seasons with the Knicks (2011-17).

"It's a different level of, I would say, pride that you have to have when you're wearing USA across your chest or you're wearing Lithuania across your chest," Anthony said of the biggest difference between an Olympic medal and a Larry O'Brien Trophy hoist. "It's a totally different feeling than Knicks, New York across your chest."

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