Okay, first things first, Michael Jordan did not say "fuck them kids," however, the idea that he did and that Nike and Air Jordan would make an inspirational photo quote out of it is hilarious.

The ironic, sports quote has been floating around NBA and NFL meme circles since it was first synthesized back in 2018. But why? Why did a meme creator decide to portray the arguable G.O.A.T. as a child-hater and why have so many meme creators since then done the same with Tom Brady and others?

There's a lot to unpack here regarding this viral meme. Let's explain.

Where Did The 'Fuck Them Kids' Meme Come From?

Despite popular belief, Michael Jordan's child-hating quote is not totally based on a fallacy. In fact, the meme was inspired by a 2016 YouTube video that showed Jordan playing Chris Paul one-on-one at a children's summer camp. The two decided to wage a friendly bet: if Jordan missed three shots, the entire camp got free Jordans.

With all of his wealth and resources, Jordan could have flubbed the game, in turn, making an entire camp of children exponentially happy. Instead, Jordan went goblin mode and torched CP3, essentially saying "fuck them kids."

Two years later, in response to the video surfacing once again and a then-recent boycott on Nike, Twitter user KILLATEX made the original "fuck them kids" meme. The tweet only received 22 likes but it inspired so many remixes in the years that followed.

How Is "Fuck Them Kids" Used In Memes?

Since that fateful day, the image of Jordan was paired with captions, usually related to other scenarios that prompted adult annoyance due to children. Imagine children eating first on Thanksgiving or asking for Pop-Tarts at the grocery store. Jordan's poised expression and the quote in tow perfectly represented this complex, adult emotion.

That wasn't all, though. The "fuck them kids" quote moved far past just the picture of Jordan. Others like Russell Westbrook, Joe Biden, Jeffrey Epstein and more were given their own black-and-white photo quotes. The idea proved to be highly remixable, only needing one filter, one text box and a despicably mature subject.

For the full history of "fuck them kids," be sure to check out our entry on the meme here for even more information.