LeBron James, Michael Jordan and more: 5 NBA players who have their own memes

NBA legends LeBron James and Michael Jordan also have memes in common.

As memes have grown in popularity, fans have made memes out of moments in the careers and lives of NBA players. Some of the biggest stars in league history have dozens of memes based on them.

As memes continue to become a more common communication method, players are likely to have even more memes. LeBron James and Michael Jordan have memes for almost every situation.

Many players have even acknowledged the memes that people have made out of them and find enjoyment in them. With so many memes based on NBA players, the list could be significantly longer.

Instead of listing every possible NBA meme, let's look at some of the biggest names in league history and their most iconic memes.

#1 LeBron James

LeBron James created an iconic meme during the 2018 Finals.

LeBron James is one of the most watched players in the league. With all eyes on James, people have seen almost all of his memeable moments.

James has several memes, but one of the most iconic memes comes from the 2018 Finals. As his team choked at the end of Game 1, James' genuine reaction created a meme that transcended basketball.

MultiVersus brought the Lebron meme to the game https://t.co/rxWfvudDfC

While other LeBron James memes are noteworthy, the meme from the Finals may be the best. At the very least, it was the one that will live on in video game form.

#2 Michael Jordan

Michael Jordan's sadness delivered one of the biggest memes ever.

Michael Jordan may have as many memes as LeBron James. Several came out of his The Last Dance documentary. The ten-part documentary provided memes for almost every situation, with many still seeing use online.

While the documentary provides some of the best memes, there is one Jordan meme that has developed its own brand. The "Crying Jordan" meme is one of the oldest NBA memes, but it continues to be used.

8 years ago tonight, Michael Jordan delivered his HOF speech, then he cried...

Then it gave us a meme that would last a lifetime... https://t.co/00RDQH2Xtx

Many NBA players have cried in public, but few have been turned into memes like Jordan's crying face. The meme was so popular that Michael Jordan acknowledged it while crying during Kobe Bryant's memorial.

#3 Kobe Bryant

As one of the NBA's top stars for a decade, Kobe had several memes made from his career.

Speaking of Kobe Bryant, the LA Lakers superstar was the subject of a few classic memes. One of Kobe's biggest memes helped build one of Twitter's biggest suppliers of NBA memes.

A look back at the first Kobe Bryant meme we ever made.😭

#RIPKobe https://t.co/lI1pL3Oqy8

While Kobe Bryant passed the ball more than he is given credit for, the meme still resonated with fans. As Bryant approached the end of his career and his teams got worse, the meme felt more accurate.

#4 Kevin Durant

Kevin Durant specializes in having his own memes by doing the most unintentional things.

Most memes start when people do something funny or goofy, intentionally or unintentionally. Kevin Durant memes are created when something relatively mundane becomes something hilarious.

Kevin Durant's My Next Chapter meme and the Draymond Green talking to Durant meme have little to do with Durant doing something funny. Even one of the most emotional moments of Durant's career became one of the most used memes.

An emotional moment with Kevin Durant thanking his mother became a source of comedy for many NBA fans. Of the three prominent Durant memes, "You the real MVP" is best known.

#5 Shaquille O'Neal

Shaquille O'Neal is a constant source of entertainment, even in meme form.

As NBA players go, Shaquille O'Neal is one of the most entertaining because of his antics. From acting to DJing to commentating to podcasting, Shaq does almost everything he can to have fun and entertain.

Shaquille O'Neal's approach to life often puts him in memeable situations. For example, Shaq appeared on the online show Hot Ones, which led to one of his best memes.

🚨NEW #HotOnes ALERT🚨
@SHAQ finally takes the hottest challenge and sits in the hot seat with #HotOnes host @seanseaevans. Find out if he’ll make it to wing 10!

WATCH NOW 👉 youtu.be/_sZH-psg9yE

Powered by @Skittles https://t.co/ZEPDznMlqn

"Surprised Shaq" is a meme that has become one of the most common reaction memes to any surprise. Anytime a surprise happens in the league, the Shaq meme will likely be in the comments or replies.