Why Is Bobby Portis Nickname Crazy Eyes? Bucks Power Forward Squidward Meme Explained

May 2024 Β· 4 minute read

Bobby Portis is known for his nickname "Crazy Eyes," which he earned from his followers due to his large eyes. He didn't appreciate the meme when it was originally formed, but he grew to love it.

A series of memes were created focusing on Bobby Portis's huge eye which resulted in his nickname, Crazy Eyes. 

At the present, the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks professional basketball player embraces the adoration he receives from his moniker. He is currently in the news after his input in the victory of the Milwaukee Bucks over the Celtics.

With 15 seconds remaining, Portis knocked back a missed free throw by Giannis Antetokounmpo. Jrue Holiday silenced Marcus Smart on Boston's final two possessions, and the Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Celtics to take a 3-2 series lead.

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Why Is Bobby Portis's Nickname Crazy Eyes?

Bobby Portis's nickname Crazy Eyes is a collection of memes created in response to and mocking Milwaukee Bucks player Bobby Portis' huge eyes. It became famous after the team's Game 6 victory in the 2021 NBA Finals. 

Memes concerning Portis' eyes and looks started spreading on Twitter before the game. Many fans compare him to a specific image of Squidward from SpongeBob SquarePants with protruding eyes.

Bobby Portis has a crazy look in his eyes I would not want to scrap with this man pic.twitter.com/ELW2J3htnY

β€” AlexHoops (@AIexHoops) June 6, 2021

Game 6 of the NBA Finals, which featured a battle between the Milwaukee Bucks and the Phoenix Suns, was played on July 20th. Portis of the Bucks was subjected to a series of dubious calls during the game.

During the third quarter, Portis was called for a questionable foul on Devin Booker, prompting him to respond with a stunned grimace that highlighted his bulging eyes.

ESPN shared the photo on Twitter that day, and it received over 4,200 likes in only 12 hours. This can be considered the origin of his Crazy Eyes memes. 

He, on the other hand, was never outraged by the meme; rather, he embraced it and considered his nickname to be the most interesting.

Portis is adopting the nickname before anybody else can, given the analogies made by notable classmates. Some of them include former NFL receiver Plaxico Burress, former NBA star Darius Miles, and current Los Angeles Laker Roy Hibbert.

"This is Crazy Eyes Portis," the athletic long-armed forward stated. "I'll be bothering you out there." I'll do my best to play as hard as I can," he says with NBC sports.

"I'm just using the nickname that everyone else has given me," Portis explained. "Everyone constantly says my eyes are bugged and everything." That's something I'm going to use. "I really like that name." 

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Bobby Portis Squidward Meme Gif Viral On Twitter

Bobby Portis was compared to Squidward in several memes that went popular on Twitter. People mocked his big eyes and even modified Squidward to have a beard like Portis, as shown below.

Dawg not y’all made Bobby Portis into Squidward 😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/hDNEO93RqY

β€” Maybe: Jacoby (@Getthebagcoach) July 21, 2021

Portis didn't like the jokes about his eyes at first. Who likes it when a physical feature becomes a joke? Certainly not his mother. Portis even attempted to keep everything under control.

But, in this day and age, social media is inevitable, and Portis eventually opted to embrace the image of his wide-open "crazy" eyes. He even began to sell t-shirts.

In an interview with the Daily News, Portis said, "It was harsh humor at first. But after a while, I took the jokes and turned them into something great, and people just got into it."

"Crazy Eyes" Portis became a phenomenon in Chicago during his second season, and to a lesser extent in Washington last season. Now he's with the Knicks and his most memorable performance with the team. 

A game-winning 3-pointer in the waning seconds of a win over the Bulls in October became a meme-worthy moment due to the way his eyes fixed on the ball in mid-air.

Bobby Portis Spongebob Reference Trending As A GIF

Bobby Portis was not just referred to as Squidward, but he was also considered a Spongebob character. Some connect him to Spongebob himself because of his large eyes, while others relate him to the fish in Spongebob.

Moreover, there was even a gif made out of Portis's big eyes expression. You can see the gif here. As of now, he is popular as the Crazy Eyes Man. 

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