--- title: NBA Finals 2017: Steph Curry's Game 1 High Kicks Become Meme description: Steph Curry's celebratory high kicks after shooting a magnificent 3-pointer are inspiring memes across the Internet. canonical: https://time.com/4803028/steph-curry-kick-meme/ author: Cady Lang article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2017-06-02T16:05:23.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-04-13T07:44:08.845Z og:title: The Internet Is Losing It Over Steph Curry's High Kicks og:description: You've never seen a victory dance like this before og:url: https://time.com/4803028/steph-curry-kick-meme/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blta742e42b545fdf3f/6988cfe9ab6d7713496ae5e3/steph-curry-high-kick-celebration-nba-finals.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: 2017 NBA Finals - Game One og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: The Internet Is Losing It Over Steph Curry's High Kicks twitter:description: You've never seen a victory dance like this before twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blta742e42b545fdf3f/6988cfe9ab6d7713496ae5e3/steph-curry-high-kick-celebration-nba-finals.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # The Internet Is Losing It Over the Latest Athlete Meme: Steph Curry's Celebratory High Kicks  by [Cady Lang](/author/cady-lang/)  ## Cady Lang Jun 2, 2017 4:05 PM CUT  OAKLAND, CA - JUNE 01: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors reacts to a play in Game 1 of the 2017 NBA Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers at ORACLE Arena on June 1, 2017 in Oakland, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) OAKLAND, CA - JUNE 01: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors reacts to a play in Game 1 of the 2017 NBA Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers at ORACLE Arena on June 1, 2017 in Oakland, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)Ronald Martinez—Getty Images  by [Cady Lang](/author/cady-lang/)  ## Cady Lang Jun 2, 2017 4:05 PM CUT While there were plenty of memorable moments during [the first game of the NBA Finals](http://time.com/money/4798003/cavaliers-warriors-nba-finals-tickets-prices/ "undefined") ([Rihanna bowing to LeBron James and dabbing on a Warriors fan comes to mind,](http://time.com/4802935/rihanna-nba-finals/ "undefined")) it looks like the first meme of the series has arrived thanks to [Dubs star Steph Curry](http://time.com/4301269/stephen-curry-2016-time-100/ "undefined"). After shooting a majestic three-pointer, Curry celebrated with a victory dance as is his wont; however, this time around, his dance consisted of a couple of high kicks not unlike the Christmas special from the Rockettes. Needless to say, the Internet immediately lost it over Curry’s very GIF-able high kicks, taking to the web with plenty of hot takes and jokes. Some people took the moment to rib Curry for his former Dad shoes. > [](https://twitter.com/karenehowell/status/870475693049749504) While others saw it as a chance to tease Curry’s teammate’s defensive tactics. > [](https://twitter.com/Bballforeverfb/status/870476345159151616) And others revived the tired 3-1 lead joke. > [](https://twitter.com/cedfunches/status/870475415264968705) Some felt that [the Cavs’ J.R. Smith](http://time.com/4378814/j-r-smith-cavaliers-championship-parade/ "undefined") was less enamored with the high kicks than most of Oracle Arena mid-game. > [](https://twitter.com/Lizzs%5FLockeroom/status/870476639116898305) Even football players – San Francisco 49ers punter Brandley Pinion and the Oakland Raiders’ punter Marquette King – got in on the fun. > [](https://twitter.com/pinion92/status/870501816789721090) > [](https://twitter.com/MarquetteKing/status/870505358707445760) ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4803028/steph-curry-kick-meme/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4803028/steph-curry-kick-meme/"},"headline":"The Internet Is Losing It Over the Latest Athlete Meme: Steph Curry's Celebratory High Kicks","datePublished":"2017-06-02T16:05:23.000Z","dateModified":"2026-04-13T07:44:08.845Z","description":"You've never seen a victory dance like this before","url":"https://time.com/4803028/steph-curry-kick-meme/","keywords":["Newsfeed","Basketball","NBA","Stephen Curry","steph curry","Sports"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blta742e42b545fdf3f/6988cfe9ab6d7713496ae5e3/steph-curry-high-kick-celebration-nba-finals.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Cady Lang","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/cady-lang/"}],"articleSection":"","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blta742e42b545fdf3f/6988cfe9ab6d7713496ae5e3/steph-curry-high-kick-celebration-nba-finals.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"2017 NBA Finals - Game One","caption":"2017 NBA Finals - Game One","creditText":"Ronald Martinez—Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/tag/time-section-newsfeed/","name":"Newsfeed"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/4803028/steph-curry-kick-meme/","name":"The Internet Is Losing It Over the Latest Athlete Meme: Steph Curry's Celebratory High Kicks"}}]}] ```