Few NBA players are as active on social media as LeBron James.
While the Lakers star’s NBA career began before social media was a major part of everyday life, it didn’t take him long to catch on and establish a recognizable presence on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram, in particular.
As such, much of what James posts often takes on a life of its own as memes.
One of James’ most meme-generating posts comes from an Instagram story he shared over six years ago. Here’s the story behind the euphoria James documented and how it became a meme that transcended NBA and sports social media.
LeBron James’ “Smiling Through It All” Meme Explained
The meme is a selfie of James in a pool, presumably at his home, smiling as he poses with one hand on his head. The photo reads: “Smiling through it all! I can’t believe my life is like this.”
James posted the photo in February 2018 and the timing of the post leads many to believe it is a Response to Fox News host Laura Ingrahamwho, a day earlier, had implored James to “shut up and drool” after he criticized then-President Donald Trump during a video posted to his UNINTERRUPTED YouTube channel.
If it was a response, it was James’ ultimate way of showing that he was unfazed by the outside noise, while also demonstrating his appreciation for the many good things happening in his life.
The photo has now taken on a life of its own and is being used to express joy in many different areas of life, with social media users reacting to the positive news with James’ famous image.
Six years after it was first posted, James’ son Bryce, who has a history of doing good impersonations of his father, recreated the famous Instagram story.
With James and Team USA looking to win gold at the 2024 Olympics, there could be more positive emotions on the way if the ultimate goal is achieved. In that case, there’s a chance James or some of his teammates could recreate the viral Instagram story that continues to generate buzz.
