Oh My Goodness Valentine: 5 Shocking Facts About The Viral NBA Meme And Denzel Valentine's Career Trajectory

The phrase "Oh my goodness Valentine" has become a permanent fixture in the internet's lexicon of sports lowlights and viral memes, a soundbite that perfectly captures a moment of utter disbelief and comedic failure in professional basketball. What many casual observers may not realize is that this iconic line, often misremembered as "Oh my god Valentine," is directly tied to the career of a legitimate professional athlete, Denzel Valentine, and a single, ill-advised shot that instantly became legendary. As of today, December 18, 2025, the meme continues to circulate widely across social media platforms like TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and Reddit, ensuring that the former NBA player’s name remains a source of viral content long after his time with the Chicago Bulls.

This deep dive will not only detail the exact moment and the commentator responsible for the legendary phrase but also provide the most current updates on Denzel Valentine's professional journey, including his move to European basketball. By exploring the full context—from a promising college career at Michigan State to the viral moment and his current status with Reyer Venezia Mestre—we uncover the complete story of a player whose career is now inextricably linked to a four-word exclamation of exasperation.

Denzel Valentine: Complete Professional Biography and Profile

Denzel Valentine is an American professional basketball player whose career has spanned the NBA, the G League, and top European leagues. His journey is marked by collegiate success, an initial struggle with injuries in the NBA, and a recent resurgence overseas.

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• Full Name: Denzel Robert Valentine
• Date of Birth: November 16, 1993
• Place of Birth: Lansing, Michigan, USA
• Height: 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
• Weight: 220 lb (100 kg)
• Position: Shooting Guard / Small Forward
• College Career: Michigan State University (2012–2016)
• College Honors: Consensus National Player of the Year (2016), Big Ten Player of the Year (2016), First-team All-Big Ten (2016)
• NBA Draft: 14th overall pick by the Chicago Bulls in the 2016 NBA draft
• NBA Teams: Chicago Bulls (2016–2021), Cleveland Cavaliers (2021–2022), Utah Jazz (briefly in 2022)
• Current Team (Latest Update): Umana Reyer Venezia Mestre (Italian Lega Basket Serie A and BKT EuroCup)
• Professional Highlights: Signed with Reyer Venezia for the 2024-2025 season, showcasing his commitment to a European career after stints in Australia and the G League.

1. The Infamous Origin: The Airball That Launched a Thousand Memes

The "Oh my goodness Valentine" phrase did not come from a moment of spectacular triumph, but rather from a moment of spectacular failure. The event occurred on April 24, 2021, during a game between the Chicago Bulls and the Miami Heat. With the Bulls trailing late in the fourth quarter, Denzel Valentine, then a member of the Bulls, took an ill-advised three-point shot from deep.

The ball completely missed the rim, resulting in a clean airball—a shot so poor it stunned the broadcast booth. The immediate, raw, and exasperated reaction came from Bulls play-by-play announcer Adam Amin, who shouted the now-iconic line: "Oh my goodness, Valentine?! Oh no! That's not the shot at that moment." Color commentator Stacey King's accompanying, drawn-out "Nooo..." only amplified the comedic effect of the lowlight.

This specific moment, captured with perfect comedic timing by the commentators, was clipped and immediately went viral. It was not just a missed shot; it was a symbol of poor decision-making and a lack of awareness in a crucial game situation, creating a perfect storm for internet meme culture.

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2. Adam Amin and Stacey King: The Commentary Duo Behind the Virality

The meme's staying power is a testament to the delivery of the Chicago Bulls broadcasting team, Adam Amin and Stacey King. Amin, known for his energetic and often dramatic play-by-play, delivered the main line with a pitch of disbelief that is instantly recognizable. King, a beloved former Bulls player, provided the perfect comedic foil with his groan of despair.

The authenticity of their reaction is what resonated with fans. Unlike generic commentary, Amin and King's response was a genuine, unfiltered expression of the frustration felt by the entire fanbase watching the game. This made the moment feel less like a professional lowlight and more like a shared, relatable experience. The clip quickly became a staple in NBA lowlight reels, "Shaqtin' a Fool" compilations, and, most importantly, a versatile reaction sound effect for any situation involving a massive failure or an incredibly poor decision.

3. The Cultural Impact: From NBA Lowlight to Universal Meme

The phrase "Oh my goodness Valentine" transcended its sports origins to become a universal reaction meme. The internet, particularly platforms like Urban Dictionary and Reddit, quickly defined the phrase as one used for people who "fail horrendously" or "trying to get a girl" and miss spectacularly.

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Its versatility is its strength. It is used as a sound effect in thousands of TikTok and YouTube Shorts videos to punctuate a moment where a person attempts something ambitious and fails dramatically—whether it's a cooking disaster, a skateboarding trick gone wrong, or a public blunder. The meme’s use of Denzel Valentine's last name ensures that the player's identity is forever intertwined with the viral moment, a prime example of how modern digital culture can immortalize a single, fleeting moment on the court. The sound clip, often paired with the visual of the airball, has cemented itself as one of the most recognizable NBA commentary memes of the 2020s.

4. Denzel Valentine's Career Trajectory Since the Viral Moment

Denzel Valentine's NBA career with the Bulls concluded shortly after the viral moment, a period marked by inconsistency and a major ankle injury that required surgery and sidelined him for an entire season. Despite being a highly decorated college player—a Consensus National Player of the Year at Michigan State—his NBA tenure never fully reached the heights expected of a 14th overall draft pick.

Following his time with the Bulls, Valentine had brief stints with the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Utah Jazz before taking his talents overseas. This is a common path for former NBA players seeking consistent playing time and a chance to revitalize their careers. Valentine played in the NBL (Australia) and spent time in the NBA G League before making a significant move to Europe.

5. Latest Updates: Valentine’s European Resurgence with Reyer Venezia Mestre

The most current and relevant update on Denzel Valentine's career is his move to Italy. For the 2024-2025 season, Valentine signed with Umana Reyer Venezia Mestre, a prominent club competing in both the Italian Lega Basket Serie A (LBA) and the BKT EuroCup.

This move signifies a new chapter for Valentine, where he is a key veteran guard for a top-tier European team. Playing in the EuroCup, a major international competition, offers him a high-level platform to showcase his skills, particularly his playmaking and shooting ability that made him a college star. Valentine expressed his gratitude for the trust placed in him by Reyer Venezia, viewing it as a "great opportunity" to continue his professional journey. His commitment to playing in a competitive European league proves that Denzel Valentine is much more than a viral meme; he remains a dedicated and active professional basketball player on the international stage.