basketball

Adam Sandler's seen quite a comeback in the meme department since starring in the Safdie Brothers' Uncut Gems. While our old millennial asses revere him for his roles in his Happy Madison productions, the SNL alum has proved that his star power goes far beyond goofiness. That star power has led to the actor becoming viral for some pretty normal moments. Just a few weeks ago, a TikTok user went viral after realizing she had turned Sandler away from her IHOP, saying that the wait for a table would be 30 minutes. This week, the internet is marveling at something a little more attention-worthy: his apparent love for pickup basketball games. 

Friend sent me this video of Adam Sandler hoopin' on Long Island... He's out here playing pick up everyday 😂 pic.twitter.com/9JzbqQyeaK

— Anthony Puccio (@APOOCH) May 17, 2021

After Anthony Puccio shared a friend's Instagram story of Sandler playing a game of pickup basketball in Long Island, Twitter had a lot to say about the matter. Many users were appalled at the lack of reciprocity between Sandler and his teammates. The star was absolutely destroying it on the court, but the same could not be said for his temporary squad. A second video from the same day didn't help their case. There's no denying it. Adam Sandler was let down.

While much of the focus was on the comedian's skills, some Twitter users decided to poke fun at his attire. The baggy clothes, which are actually par for the course with Sandler, honestly make the out-of-place actor look that much more impressive in this context. If you're getting schooled by a 54 year old Jewish guy from Brooklyn in an oversized peach polo, you should probably be questioning the caliber of your game.

'Chappelle's Show' is easily one of the greatest comedy programs of all time. The guests. The blunt social comedy. I mean, Dave Chappelle. There are so many episodes and moments that we've shared eagerly with friends and watched too many times to count. But the one that feels universally loved (Besides Piss On You, of course) is the late great Charlie Murphy's 'True Hollywood Stories' tale of playing (and losing) a game of basketball with a bloused up Prince.

The story is beloved for a reason. And yesterday, on Twitter, the internet was gifted further proof of Prince's skills on the court, thanks to user @freezep0p. They uploaded footage from a Prince's LOVESEXY tour in which the musical genius flaunts some serious basketball skills. He spins the ball on his finger and then proceeds to absolutely nail a shot with the ease of Michael Jordan. The tweet quickly went viral, and spawned some serious nostalgia for Murphy's epic anecdote. 

It feels like years since we binge-watched The Last Dance in deep quarantine. The documentary mini-series about the Chicago Bulls brought us great joy for about a week back in April, but the memes are more of a gift that keeps on giving. Most memes from the series feature the legendary Michael Jordan, who is as revered a character in memes as he is on the court. 

One of the more popular (and long-lasting) Jordan memes features a shot of the all-star paired with the words "So I took that personally." While Jordan doesn't actually utter that phrase in the documentary, it's well-documented that he's a pretty big fan of the phrase - and apparently takes a lot of things personally. He's not the only one to get fussy over stuff. This format pokes fun at many other people who feel they've been wronged. Think Karens and Joe Exotic. It's tough when it feels like the world is out to get you. But at least it makes for some solid memes.

Shaquille O'Neal is a lot of things: a basket ball legend, a talented sports analyst and an avid Twitter user. He's also famous for playing a genie in the terrible 1996 flick Kazaam. But over the last few years, we've enjoyed Shaq's appearance in memes the most. The most popular format to feature the athlete has been Sleeping Shaq, but we're here to celebrate Shaq Reading. The memes feature Shaq staring smugly at the camera with an open book. The photo was part of the American Library Association's 1990s "READ" campaign, but it's definitely made more of an impact as a vehicle for humor. This gallery, which includes some of our favorite examples, is only the tip of the Shaq Reading iceberg. If you need to know more, you can pore over the meme's entry at Know Your Meme.

If you haven't seen The Last Dance, you should probably stop whatever it is you're doing and scope it out. The 10-part series is about the Chicago Bulls but focuses mainly on their star player Michael Jordan, arguably the greatest b-baller of all time. And probably the most memeable player of all time. The latest meme to feature Jordan is a stark contrast from the classic 'Crying Jordan' memes that have been around for years. These memes, which come from The Last Dance, instead use a gif of Jordan laughing heartily. People are mostly using them in self-deprecating and mocking manners, and many of the tweets are pure gold. Here are our favorites.

It's hard to believe that The Rock is 6'5" in this photo which shows him next to Chinese retired pro basketball player Sun Mingming, who is 7'9." He previously held the title of tallest basketball player in the world, and he and his wife currently hold the record for tallest couple in the world. 

Check out Know Your Meme for more info!

Tuesday is the worst day of the week. You haven't passed over the hump, you're just stuck in the beginning of the agony that is a Monday through Friday workweek. Fortunately we have a sizable batch ofstupid memes, ready and willing to distract you! 

Toronto, the capital of Ontario, is the most statistically multicultural city in the world. While there are probably millions of heartwarming success stories, the tale of Nav Bhatia, who immigrated to the city from India in the 80's, is especially touching. After almost 25 years of never missing a game, he's been given the official title of Toronto Raptors Superfan and community ambassador. His presence at their basketball games, and court-side seats, have been well-documented, but until now, his amazing story has been pretty much under wraps. That changed when correspondent Mohammad Lila shared Bhatia's saga in a touching Twitter thread that we're going to be remembering for years to come.

We've made it to the home stretch, people. One more day and us Monday through Friday office drones are free for an extremely temporary couple of days. Will we actually make use of that free time and do something productive or meaningful? Absolutely not! These memes will help you prep for a weekend of doing the bare minimum. You're welcome.

So, we have to admit that we don't normally care too much about sports, but we do love when a good meme comes around. After the Portland Trail Blazers' Damian Lillard hit the winning shot against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday (which you can watch below), Lillard stared right into the camera with an apathetic facial expression as his teammates celebrated around him. 

The still has been getting meme'd and photoshopped like crazy by people playfully mocking Lillard for having an incredibly lackluster reaction to quite a feat!