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Noah Lyles has addressed his rumored tension with Adidas over his comments about Anthony Edwards' shoe deal with the apparel brand.
Noah Lyles has cleared the air over suggested tension with his apparel sponsor, Adidas, over an invitation to NBA star Anthony Edwards's shoe release event,
Lyles has stepped forward to clarify the situation after a TIME article hinted at frustration on his part, but the athlete has since released a statement in an attempt to calm the ensuing social media storm.
"This is a rumor going around that I did not go to [Anthony Edwards]'s shoe release because he didn't deserve it," Lyles said on X, formerly Twitter.
"That is not the case. He definitely deserves his shoes. He is an amazing player. The problem was finding time based on my prior engagement. Congrats on becoming an Olympic champion!"
The TIME story had quoted Lyles expressing frustration with Adidas, particularly over the brand’s decision to offer Edwards a shoe deal before offering one to him.
This tension arose amidst ongoing contract extension negotiations between Lyles and the apparel giant.
"You want to do what?" Lyles was quoted as saying. "You want to invite me to [an event for] a man who has not even been to an NBA Finals? In a sport that you don't even care about? And you're giving him a shoe?
“No disrespect; the man is an amazing athlete. He is having a heck of a year. I love that they saw the insight to give him a shoe, because they saw that he was going to be big. All I'm asking is, 'How could you not see that for me?'"
Lyles's statement on social media seems to be an effort to clear up any misunderstandings and to show respect for Edwards, despite the frustration he expressed in the interview.
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13:19 - 12.08.2024
'I’m in the league of all-time greats' - Noah Lyles compares himself to LeBron James & Michael Jackson
Noah Lyles has defended his chest-thumping entrances at the Olympics that polarised opinion and has also compared himself to the likes of Lebron James and Michael Jackson.
As Lyles navigates the complexities of his relationship with Adidas, only time will tell whether his clarification will be taken at face value.
It is not the first time Lyles has found himself mixed up in an NBA-related issue.
Shortly after he won the 100m at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Lyles rattled a few feathers in the NBA with comments questioning why champions were worthy of being labeled world conquerors.
“You know what hurts me the most is that I have to watch the NBA Finals, and they have ‘world champion’ on their heads," Lyles said of NBA champions claiming to be world champions last August.
"World champion of what? The United States? Don’t get me wrong. I love the U.S.—at times—but that ain’t the world. That is not the world.
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07:51 - 09.08.2024
'World champion of what?' - Fans brutally troll Noah Lyles after he misses out on Olympic 200m title to Letsile Tebogo
Lyles, an overwhelming favorite before the race, ended up settling for bronze, having arrogantly stated no one would beat him before the race, and the fans have reacted to his performance.
“We are the world. We have almost every country out here fighting, thriving, putting on their flag to show that they are represented. There ain’t no flags in the NBA. We gotta do more. We gotta be presented to the world.”
Lyles recently concluded a successful campaign at the Paris Olympic Games, where he earned the title of "Fastest Man Alive" with a gold medal in the men's 100m sprint. He also secured a bronze medal in the 200m final, a remarkable achievement given that he competed while battling COVID-19.
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