Josh Hart found himself playing the role of a dedicated hater while watching track star Noah Lyles compete at the 2024 Olympics.
The NBA player admitted that he was rooting against Lyles in every race he ran, fueled by Lyles’ controversial comment about NBA players. Lyles had sparked outrage among basketball fans when he questioned the legitimacy of the “world champion” title given to NBA Finals winners, famously asking, “World champions of what?”
“I really wanted him to lose,” Hart confessed, as first reported by the New York Post. “Damn, I wanted him to lose. I think this was the first time that all of NBA Twitter came together just to hate on someone. I was hating, and then I was like, damn, you know what, respect. I can’t even hate anymore.”
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Despite Hart’s and others’ negative sentiments, Lyles still managed to shine at the Olympics, walking away with two medals. He claimed gold in the 100-meter final, solidifying his status as one of the fastest men in the world.
He also earned a bronze medal in the 200-meter final, even after testing positive for COVID-19 just days before the race.
Whether Hart will continue to root against Lyles in future competitions remains to be seen, but with the next Summer Olympics set to take place in Los Angeles in 2028, Lyles will have another opportunity to add more medals to his collection.
If he does, it will be interesting to see if Hart’s feelings towards the track star evolve or if he continues to watch with a critical eye.
