Best Viral Sports Memes of 2015 (So Far)

Let’s face it—midsummer is not the most eventful time on the sports calendar.

Football, basketball and hockey are all in offseason mode. There are no Summer Olympics this year, and aside from the MLB non-waiver trade deadline, we are months away from serious baseball drama.

So what better time than now to reflect on some of the best sports memes of 2015? The Internet deserves a round of applause for creating seven months' worth of strong candidates. Credit is also owed to the athletes who provided plenty of unintentional comedy along the way.

There were a lot of memes to choose from, but here are 10 that stood out based on creativity, cleverness and popularity. Some of these are well-known. Others may not have reached the same level of popularity, but they deserve recognition nonetheless.

Don't Tell Shawn Oakman What To Do

Baylor defensive end Shawn Oakman is listed at 6’9” and 280 pounds. If he tells you to do something, you’d be wise to listen to him.

Oakman rose to Internet stardom for towering over Michigan State offensive linemen during the Cotton Bowl on New Year’s Day, therefore starting the year off on the right foot. Thankfully, Oakman is returning for his senior season and should continue to call the shots in the 2015 season.

Though this list is not ranked, Oakman told me to put him first anyway; naturally, I obliged.

Cpt. Amar'e's Lonely Hearts Club Band

At one point in the not so distant past, Miami Heat power forward Amar'e Stoudemire was one of the best players in the NBA. It's a shame that injuries and the New York Knicks' everlasting futility have relegated him to an afterthought rather than a star player.

That being said, stepping out in outfits like this is less charming when you can't even start for the 2015 Knicks.

Stoudemire's Cap'n Crunch-Beatles hybrid outfit, while ambitious, is sadly one of the more noteworthy aspects of what has been an unremarkable second half of his career. Here's hoping that Stoudemire, with a little help from his friends, can keep getting better as he continues his career in Miami.

Purple Rose

Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose had the perfect reaction to his game-winning shot against the Cleveland Cavaliers in this year's playoffs: pure stone face. This meme earns points for evoking one of the best Chappelle's Show skits in which Prince dunks all over Charlie Murphy's team in a game of pickup basketball.

DJ Gets Grounded

This pictures seems to lend some credence to the reports that Los Angeles Clippers stars DeAndre Jordan and Chris Paul didn't exactly get along too well. Since Jordan decided to spurn the Dallas Mavericks and return to LA this summer, it seems to all be water under the bridge now.

Once and Future King of the Jungle

European baller Kristaps Porzingis probably did not want to make a little kid cry moments after he was drafted by the Knicks. But a king is not always beloved by all of his subjects, and a small speed bump in the early stages of his career hopefully won't derail Porzingis from ascending to the throne.

Even Simba went on a wayward path before returning to save Pride Rock. If Porzingis takes a few years to hit his stride, Knicks fans should exercise patience and give their big man time to restore the franchise to glory.

Mamba and Uncle Phil

Taking inspiration from perhaps the greatest scene of Will Smith's career, this meme captures what Kobe Bryant must have felt like the past two summers when the Lakers came up empty in trying to land big-ticket free agents.

Seeing marquee free agents sign elsewhere lends some credibility to the 2014 article from ESPN The Magazine's Henry Abbott that argued Kobe was the main reason free agents did not want to come to Los Angeles. I just hope Kobe had someone like Uncle Phil to turn to during his time of despair.

Love Lost Under the Sea

Poor Squidward. By far the most misunderstood character in Bikini Bottom, it must have been brutal to watch SpongeBob and Patrick from afar like that.

This meme, in reference to the Cleveland Cavaliers' March 12 victory over the San Antonio Spurs, seems to sum up what an injured Kevin Love must have felt like being on the outside looking in. I imagine that watching Cleveland's run to the NBA Finals from the bench was even worse.

Tears of Gold

"

I swear these Michael Jordan crying pictures will forever have my DYING YO  pic.twitter.com/P7eKF42I0N

— Ry⚡️ (@__ryooo) July 7, 2015"

NBA legend Michael Jordan has won plenty in his life, so it's fitting that perhaps the most popular image of him these days features him with tears streaming down his face. The best part about the photo is that it's so versatile and has appeared in so many forms.

MJ has plenty to be happy about, so we shouldn't take too much pity in his sad face being passed around the Internet so often. It's just nice to know that His Airness has feelings too.

Lightning Strikes

"

"You can't handle the truth!" pic.twitter.com/HcIrDhBniF

— RJ Casey (@rjcaseywrites) July 15, 2015"

Having an anthropomorphic lightning bolt appealing to keep the Chargers in San Diego can't hurt their chances, can it?

Something tells me that a lightning bolt wouldn't have much useful insight into the inner workings of NFL franchise relocations. That is, unless the key issues were about cumulonimbus clouds. (Probably not the case.)

LeBron's Hair Woes

Cavaliers forward LeBron James is the closest thing we have to a perfect basketball player. He's also one of the richest athletes in the world, has a beautiful family and has already won multiple championships.

It's fitting, then, that he has at least one uncontrollable flaw: a hairline that's receding at an alarming rate for someone who's just 30 years old. Props to LeBron for occasionally ditching the headband and embracing the look.