It has been a year since Noah Lyles triggered the NBA fanbase with his ‘world champion of what?’ comment, sparking tensions between the basketball and track and field communities as athletes from both sides chimed in. However, with the USA men’s basketball team clinching Olympic gold, that debate might finally be put to rest. In a moment that left fans in awe, Sha’Carri Richardson was there to support the team.

After narrowly missing out on gold in the women’s 100m, Richardson made a statement in the 4×100m relay. The 24-year-old ran a blistering anchor leg to seal the gold medal for the USA. Later, the track and field star was spotted in the stand cheering on the basketball team. The Paris 2024 gold medalist watched as Stephen Curry‘s exceptional dunks kept Team USA in the lead.

The Noah Lyles vs. NBA feud carried into the Paris Olympics. After winning gold in a dramatic 100m finish, Lyles placed third in the 200m with a time of 19.70 seconds, behind Kenny Bednarek (19.62) and Letsile Tebogo. However, Lyles later revealed that he tested positive for COVID on August 6, two days before the race. Despite this, Kevin Durant showed no mercy, commenting, ‘World champion of 3rd place?’ on an Instagram post highlighting Lyles’ bronze medal finish.

Despite the ongoing debate and controversy, Richardson didn’t shy away from supporting the U.S. Men’s basketball team. Her front-row presence also took social media by storm—not because her unique corset was modeled after a Nike sneaker, but because it marked one of the rare occasions where U.S. basketball and track and field athletes, along with their fans, united.

In the photos shared by the NBC Olympics & Paralympics account on X, Richardson is seen seated courtside with former NBA player Carmelo Anthony. She also shared moments with LeBron James, Steph Curry, and other NBA greats like Scottie Pippen and Dwyane Wade.

Richardson appeared delighted as she reveled in Team USA’s success. This was a departure from the uneasiness surrounding the athletes from the two sports since Noah Lyles’ comments last year.

After going three for three at the World Athletics Championships 2023 in Budapest, Lyles made comments that divided the NBA and track and field community. The 27-year-old explained that while he loved the NBA, he couldn’t digest the fact that NBA champions also called themselves world champions. “You know the thing that hurts me the most is that I have to watch the NBA finals and they have “world champion’ on their head. 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. We are the world,” said Lyles.

In Paris, the debate was reignited after Lyles won the 100m gold, but Team USA responded emphatically with a hard-fought victory over France. Moreover, after Sha’Carri Richardson’s courtside appearance to cheer and celebrate the win, there may be some reconciliation between the two communities. Interestingly, Richardson initially sided with Lyles when the controversy first erupted.

After taking Lyles’ side initially, Sha’Carri Richardson shows no bad blood against NBA stars

After Lyles’ comments, many in the NBA community hit out at him. ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith labeled Lyles’ comments as “flagrantly ignorant” before apologizing. Kevin Durant also took a dig, writing, “Somebody help this brother,” while four-time NBA champion Draymond Green also threw shade with his, “When being smart goes wrong” comment.

NBA fans also had many a debate with those from track and field. Many sided with Lyles citing the logic of his comments, since NBA is essentially a domestic league, while basketball fans pointed out that the league has the best players in the world.

But that division may have been bridged to some extent by Richardson showing her support for the men’s basketball team. Fans were in awe of her hanging out with NBA stars and celebrating with them. “Real recognize real,” wrote one individual on X (formerly Twitter), after seeing photos of Richardson with NBA icons.

The Official Olympics page posted several stills that showed Richardson not just cheering for the team but mingling with NBA stars who were also at the games. She could be seen hugging Scottie Pippen and posing with Dwyane Wade as they looked delighted after USA’s win. The post also asked the fans “Who is a fan of who?” to which one user replied, “Mutual fans, I am sure…  Sha’Carri was a bright and shining star this Olympics. I am definitely a fan.”  The win didn’t come easy for USA.

In the fourth quarter, Team USA led France 82-79, with the hosts being cheered on by a partisan crowd. But then Stephen Curry stepped up, sinking four 3-pointers in the final 2:43. This helped them secure a 98-87 victory, with Curry scoring 24 points, as the USA clinched its fifth consecutive gold medal at the Olympics.

Meanwhile, the image of Richardson hugging the victorious basketball legend LeBron James following the game led another netizen to comment. “I love the love our athletes have for each other. The mutual adoration is just (perfect),” commented the individual. This display by Richardson demonstrated that despite siding with Lyles in the debate, she harbored no ill feelings toward the basketball stars.

After Lyles’ comments, SCR supported him as she tweeted, “I’m standing with Noah on this one. The organization [NBA] have players from different countries but do they compete against different countries. You have to go against the world in order to be a world champion.”

One NBA fan highlighted how a star-studded field of active and retired NBA icons showed no animosity toward Sha’Carri Richardson despite her stance. “It’s really beautiful how The Community has wrapped their arms/embraced Sha’Carri. Love to see it,” wrote a fan.

Once suspended due to marijuana use, Richardson started her comeback at the 2023 World Championships. Although she couldn’t win the 100m gold in Paris, the sprinter completed her comeback during the Women’s 4x100m relay’s anchor leg. “SUPERSTAR.” added one fan.

The debate that Noah Lyles’ infamous statement started continues to his day. The debate may continue now that Lyles has proved his mettle and the U.S. basketball team has defeated top international teams. While the USA’s gold medal doesn’t officially make them “world champions,” it solidifies their status as the best team in the world.

However, Richardson’s presence and the mutual respect between the track star and the NBA stars may have brought the two communities together, even if for a short time.