Anthony Edwards, who’s often considered as talented as the younger equivalent of MJ, has earned his first Olympic Gold and a ‘lucrative shout-out’ from Adidas, as The Avengers have completed their dominant run in Paris, and now it’s party time! With Team USA’s mega-stars, now free of their international duties, lay back and take a quick breather before the NBA season starts. However, known for his outspoken attitude and bold presence, Edwards has rather stayed quiet and calm over Noah Lyles’ recent uproar.

Even though Ant failed to lead the Americans to Gold in the World Cup, things went right for the 23-year-old at the Olympics, as he averaged over 13 points alongside 1.6 steals per game. It is safe to say that Edwards had an impressive Olympic debut. Also, being the only superstar in Team USA who’s signed with Adidas, the global sports apparel giant, was quick to host a celebration for Edwards in Paris. They also dropped a new commercial dedicated to his victory, featuring a revamped personalized version of the well-known ‘He’s got the whole world in his hands’ for the Wolves star.

“From Atlanta to the World. Anthony Edwards is just getting started. Believe That,” Adidas captioned the new advertisement. For sure, the company is trying to push the narrative that the kid from Atlanta is just getting started and could very well be the next big thing in the league as LeBron James passes the baton. At just 23, Ant had already shown his true potential by leading the Wolves to the Western Conference Finals and becoming an Olympic Champion. Adidas recognized this before anyone else and signed Ant-Man to a multi-year contract extension last month, which will reportedly pay him 8 figures annually!

In addition to this, Adidas rolled out a new pair of kicks, gifting Anthony Edwards on his special feat. It was an exclusive sleek pair of golden Adidas AE 1s, as a celebration gift for his historic moment with Team USA, unveiled during a packed event with fans of the 23-year-old.

The AE 1s are currently one of the most popular signature shoes from the three-striped brand. With the launch of his edition, Ant-Man’s star power has taken a big leap, and there is no doubt that in the coming year, he will be the face of the NBA! ‘Believe That’, as the sneaker giants put it!

But Adidas’ exclusive love for Anthony Edwards has seemingly not been sitting right with the American track superstar, Noah Lyles, especially given his previous dig at the rising basketball star, a few months ago. It was definitely not a normal piece of criticism.

What is the controversy and how does Anthony Edwards’ success affect Noah Lyles?

Team USA’s track and field representative, Noah Lyles, rejected an invitation from Adidas last year for a shoe-release event for Anthony Edwards, he revealed to TIME in June. Lyles, who has won 6 World Championships in his respective domain, openly criticized the billion-dollar brand’s decision to invite him to an event for a youngster like Ant, clearly taking offense. “You want to do what?” says Lyles. “You want to invite me to [an event for] a man who has not even been to an NBA Finals?” he said.

“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?'”

Even though Anthony Edwards has not reached the NBA finals, he is one of the best players, not only in the Timberwolves but also in the NBA currently. In addition to that, Ant-Man is an Olympic gold medalist now, although the same can be said about Noah Lyles. Even though Lyles signed the most lucrative track and field contract since Usain Bolt’s Puma deal, the track star seems to unhappy.

“I want my own shoe,” Lyles said. “I want my trainer. I’m dead serious. I want a sneaker, ain’t no money in [track] spikes. There’s money in sneakers and even Michael Johnson didn’t have his own sneaker. I feel like for how many medals [track athletes] bring back, for all the notoriety [track athletes] get, the fact that hasn’t happened yet is crazy to me.”

Getting a shoe deal for a track star is no easy feat, but Noah Lyles seems determined. Even though the 2024 100 m gold medallist took a dig at the mighty Anthony Edwards, Adidas seems to have paid no heed to it, publicly. What are your thoughts on this?

Before you go, do not forget to check out this crossover between BG12 and Georgia Bulldogs star Asia Avinger.