“Get Ready to Learn Chinese, Buddy” is a fictionalized Bleacher Report infographic featuring NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and an invented quote directed at player Kyrie Irving following his antisemitic scandal.
Origin
Initially appearing online in November 2022, this meme humorously warns athletes who underperform or embarrass themselves that they might end up in lesser leagues, specifically China’s CBA. The meme often includes references to the Shanghai Sharks as the likely team for such players.
The meme originated on November 8th, 2022, when a Twitter account posted the image with the fabricated quote from Adam Silver. This tweet quickly gained traction, amassing over 170 retweets and 2,000 likes within four months.
Spread
The meme proliferated on Twitter as users employed it to comment on underwhelming performances from various athletes. For instance, it was used to critique basketball player Ben Simmons’ season performance in a tweet that also saw significant engagement. Another example includes a tweet from a basketball news account using the meme to comment on Kendrick Nunn’s poor performance, which itself became quite popular.
In related memes, the Shanghai Sharks are often depicted as the fallback team for NBA players who fail to perform well. This idea gained particular prominence with memes focusing on players like Ben Simmons, Dwight Howard, Klay Thompson and more.
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