Warriors’ Draymond Green reveals the hilarious meme that made his jump shot obsolete

Dating back to early 2018, the viral prank of Fr Draymond Green lived his life quietly. The fans started talking Golden State Warriors forward, he kicked the ball as if he had a backpack on, stuffed with school projects. The comparison stuck, and the internet did what it always does when it smells blood.

In late 2018, Green’s shooting confidence plummeted, and the meme followed him everywhere. Twitter users endlessly recycled the joke, and even mainstream basketball broadcasts joined in on the fun. The Jump aired an edited clip that relied on the gag, pushing the joke far beyond fans’ timelines and league-wide awareness.

The origin story only adds to the legend. The tweet that actually sparked the meme went viral without credit, and shortly after that came the now-famous image edit. A teenager later admitted that he spent about 15 seconds affixing a backpack sticker to a photo of Green in the middle, according to SFGate. What started as a throwaway joke quickly became a visual shorthand for Green’s jumper.

Draymond Green says the meme got into his head

Years later, Green finally looked back on the moment with brutal honesty, laughing through the pain. Talking to Richard Jefferson, he connected the dots without hesitation.

Draymond Green says the moment his famous “backpack” meme came out, his jump shot went to hell 💀

“My jump shot went to hell the moment that meme came out. The moment that s*bo came out. Remember I used to shoot the f*cking ball”

(Via @Money23Green / @Rjeff24) pic.twitter.com/uc9S1TKSjFJ

— Heat Central (@HeatCulture13) January 21, 2026

“My jump shot went to hell the minute that meme came out,” Green said, blunt and self-aware. He laughingly reminded Jefferson that he had once confidently knocked down punches before the pranks took off.

Today’s numbers tell a complicated story. Green continues to contribute in scoring, and his efficiency is in the respectable range. But the defense reacts differently now. Opponents buckle when he sets up from deep, challenging him to shoot and living with the result.

What makes a story resonate is not the percentages, but the power of perception. One meme reshaped how fans talked about Green, how the media framed his game and how defenses treated his jumper. In an era where narratives move faster than mechanics, Green’s backpack meme is one of the NBA’s most memorable internet moments.