Knicks' Hart 'really wanted' Noah Lyles to lose at Olympics
New York Knicks guard Josh Hart admits he was rooting against American sprinter Noah Lyles at the Paris Olympics.
Hart explained on the latest episode of his "Roommates Show" podcast that although he was "very patriotic" throughout the Olympics, he wanted Lyles to lose after he questioned the NBA's "world champion" label.
"I feel like for most of these Olympics, I was very patriotic," Hart said. "I wanted Team USA to win gold in most every event ... (But) I really wanted (Lyles) to lose. Damn, I wanted him to lose, boy."
However, Hart said Lyles won his respect after taking home gold in the 100m and a bronze medal in the 200m.
"I was hating, and then I'm just like, damn," Hart said. "You know what, respect. I can't even hate anymore. You can talk as much as you want."
Lyles suggested earlier this year that NBA teams shouldn't be allowed to call themselves world champions for winning the NBA Finals, which was met with backlash from a number of players.
"I have to watch the NBA Finals and they have world champion on their head. World champion of what?" Lyles said at the time. "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."
Hart has yet to win an NBA title, but he was part of Villanova's NCAA national championship team as a junior in 2016.