One of the most bizarre things to have overtaken the internet in the last few years (and I’m aware that this is a very long list) is the prevalence of GIFs. GIFs, a media format that is seemingly half image, half video, are literally straight out of the 1980s. Once bandwidth and internet speed increased to a certain degree, they disappeared to be replaced by video, only to reappear as a key component of meme culture.
All of which is to say I have no clue why I love GIFs so much, but neither do you, and it’s okay. I love seeing some huge play, knowing that somebody is going make a great GIF of it and, if we are so lucky, somebody will remix that GIF into something even more clever. There is something about not having to open a video player, and the entire culture that surrounds GIFs, that make them so satisfying.
If you want good basketball GIFs, there are a few must have resources. First, any good basketball GIF will quickly find its way to r/NBA, the sub-reddit about basketball. In fact, right now there is a great GIF mega-thread of just Sunday’s action that will provide an hour of enjoyment (if you’re a fan of baseball, the “Best GIF of the Season” thread was fantastic).
On Twitter, the best person to follow is @cjzero. I have no idea who this person is, how they make such high quality GIFs so quickly, or why they spend all their time making GIFs for our insatiable consumption, but bless them as their work is a mitzvah. Mike Prada, SBNation’s NBA editor, is also quite likely to tweet out GIFs of funny/significant/amazing plays shortly after they happen.
Really, there is only one explanation for the booming popularity of GIFs in 2013: they are the only medium that properly captures the wonder that is Kent Bazemore.
