Richard Jefferson cannot seem to catch a break, with fans frequently heckling him for his appearance. But he hasn’t let it get to him too much. The former Cleveland Cavaliers forward’s head is often turned into memes, and he candidly takes it in his stride. Where did this start and how did it grow into a meme with a seeming life of its own, online? And how is Richard Jefferson taking his new-found internet meme-worthy infamy?

Richard Jefferson’s Response To The Teasing

RJ seems to have now found a way to move past it: making funny content of his own. Jefferson has always had an impeccable sense of humor; he is known for his snappy commentary and quick-witted remarks on TV.

Despite the teasing, we know that the sports analyst and entrepreneur is confident and sure of himself, as seen in the clip posted recently to his Instagram profile. An anchor asks Jefferson cordially how his colleagues would describe him, and in seeming response, the clip cuts to a video of Dana White saying, “Highly incredibly unprofessional, but f***ing awesome at the same time.”

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The caption reads, “The only time I brag is when I talk about how humble I am!!” Referring to his coworkers and teammates, he appears to speculate that he must be a joy to work with and a source of non-stop entertainment, even if he is somewhat unprofessional at times.

The 43-year-old continues to impress fans with his quick-wittedness. But what was the reason he became a meme in the first place?

The Video That Started It

After a hilarious clip surfaced of a fan referring to him as “the bald guy”, Jefferson appeared outraged and cried out, “Bald?! What the f***?” in reaction to the footage and took to social media, reposting the video on his Instagram account with the caption, “I get no respect!!!”

What followed that reaction video was more ribbing and ‘memeing’ of his head, to the point where Jefferson actually asked to put a stop to it. Nevertheless, the fans had found a way to get under his skin, and they wouldn’t let him off easily, using his call-outs as further material for memes.

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Clearly, this former basketball star is now used to the ribbing and doesn’t let it affect his sense of self-worth. This has greatly increased his popularity in the world of sports and is probably how he had a career ready as a commentator and analyst when he officially retired from basketball in 2018.