Mourning on becoming a meme: 'It's hilarious to sit back and watch'
If there was an NBA Meme Hall of Fame, it's a safe bet that Alonzo Mourning would be in it.
The Miami Heat legend has become one of the most popular internet memes thanks to a viral clip from the team's 2006-07 season opener - a blowout loss to the Chicago Bulls - which shows him shaking his head in disbelief before seemingly arriving at a state of acceptance.
HBD to Hall of Famer Alonzo Mourning 🎂.#NBATwitter is forever grateful to you for the greatest GIF of all time. pic.twitter.com/yP95oICxxC
— #RingerNBA (@ringernba) February 8, 2019
Mourning, now the vice president of player programs and development for the Heat, enjoys all the attention the clip has received.
"I have gotten asked about that gif a lot," Mourning told Meredith Cash of Business Insider. "It is very funny. It's hilarious to sit back and watch."
The Heat were trailing the Bulls by 30 points at the time and went on to lose 108-66. Mourning finished with just one point and two rebounds in 15 minutes on the floor.
"Did you see the score?" he said. "If you look at the score of the game, you can see why I had that facial expression. I'm somebody that hates to lose. I don't like to lose in anything. Anything."