Best memes of the decade draft, because we’re a sports website

This was the decade of the meme. The idea of feeling a particular feeling and pairing it with that fun image you found on the internet is almost natural now, but that wasn’t always the case early in the 2010s. Some of the memes were ephemeral while others — I’m looking at you Crying Jordan — were used for years.

Here, our staff at SB Nation will draft the best memes in hopes of getting the best three-meme squad. The winner is ultimately up to you.

1. Crying Jordan - Ryan Simmons

With the No. 1 overall pick, I really wanted a meme that could do it all. The kind of meme you could plug into any situation and it would just … work. And while there were many competitive options that I looked at, it was hard to pass up one of the undisputed greats, not just in the sports meme world, but IRL.

2. Distracted Boyfriend - Matt Ellentuck

This meme is timeless and works for just about anything. We also grew with this meme, cared about the characters within it, and then took the meme to next-level dimensions anyway. It’s run a full course and then some. It will never die.

3. Roll Safe - Brittany Cheng

You can’t win a meme draft if you don’t participate.

4. Drake pointing - Hector Diaz

Like a thing but also dislike another thing? Drake from the ‘Hotline Bling’ video can help you express that.

5. This Is Fine - Whitney Medworth

We’ve been living in a dumpster fire since at least 2016, and no meme has better expressed this time and time again than This Is Fine.

6. Kermit Sipping Tea - Whitney Medworth

We’ve had a lot of Kermit memes get us through the past few years, but none took of the internet quite like Sipping Tea Kermit. LeBron even wore it on a hat.

7. Arthur Fist - Hector Diaz

Everyone must have been livid in 2016 for some reason, because this Arthur meme was everywhere back then. If you need a meme to express how angry you are, look no further. This is the one for you. Because this is a sports site, I have to tell you that this meme dominated the NBA for a brief period from LeBron posting it on Instagram to Draymond Green trolling Cleveland with a championship t-shirt variant.

8. Homer Simpson backs into bushes - Brittany Cheng

While folks have been using this to express embarrassment since 2012, the most iconic version of this is using it to describe bandwagon sports fans, as Homer Simpson reappears from the bushes wearing another jersey. And even Homer himself used it in a 2019 episode!

9. Spiderman pointing at Spiderman - Matt Ellentuck

Spiderman meme can be used in sports, pop culture, with your friends... anywhere really. What’s better than roasting someone by saying they’re the exact same as someone else. It’s the ultimate own.

10. Sad Keanu - Ryan Simmons

Keanu had himself A Year to close out the ‘10s: John Wick continues to kick ass, he keeps making incredible cameos, he’s got himself a new girlfriend. It’s difficult to imagine a time when Keanu had anything to be sad about, and yet in 2010, Keanu eating a sandwich by his lonesome embodied our despair in a way few words could.

11. here come dat boi - Ryan Simmons

O shit waddup!

12. Confused Nick Young - Matt Ellentuck

Have you ever read a tweet or text that makes no freaking sense. Then you’ve probably sent the confused Swaggy P meme, a timeless wonder no matter the setting or level of hoops knowledge.

13. White guy blinking - Brittany Cheng

Me, when no one’s picked this meme by the third round:

14. Confused Mr. Krabs - Hector Diaz

This pick is a steal so late into the draft. Back when this was the meme, you couldn’t open your favorite social media app without seeing it. Its prime may have passed but this Mr. Krabs meme will always be there to express a situation where we were shook to our core.

15. Lance Stephenson blowing in LeBron’s ear - Whitney Medworth

A throwback to 2014! A lifetime ago! A moment in sports history we will never forget.

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Our final results:

So who won our 2010s meme draft? Vote below. The winner will be applauded as the true meme king. The loser will be mocked with the memes they selected.

If you can’t see the poll, click here