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On Thursday, May 15, Johni Broome became a target for critics on social media after a poor vertical leap at the NBA Draft combine. The Auburn Star, Brome, was among the draft hopefuls who disappointed during the event after recording a mediocre 24.5-inch jump during testing exercises. The basketball star received a lot of criticism from fans, but the language-based program Duolingo made the cruelest remark about him.

“Learn Chinese and try Super Duolingo today!” the company’s social media account tweeted, quoting a video of Broome’s unsatisfactory jump and his failed effort to attain the target. The offensive comments were a reference that NBA fans would have recognized. They made reference to a well-known meme that started in 2022 when a picture went viral on social media purporting to be a phony statement from NBA chairman Adam Silver.

https://x.com/duolingo/status/1922679300500619322

The meme that went viral claimed that Silver said, “Get ready to learn Chinese, buddy.” The NBA chairman was warning all players whose behavior was a problem for the league or whose performances did not justify a spot on their respective teams to leave and play professional basketball abroad. Broome was invited by Duolingo to use their software to study Chinese in order to increase his chances of getting into a Chinese basketball league.

Fans quickly took notice of the Duolingo post and swamped the comments area with their own disparaging words about Broome, whose lackluster vertical leap they felt fell well short of predicted No. 1 Copper Flagg’s 35.5-inch standing vertical jump. His jump was shorter than that of Florida’s hefty defensive lineman, Desmond Watson, according to a number of other people. At the NFL Combine, Watson, who weighs 464 pounds, leaped 25 inches.

Remarkably, Broom was among the best college basketball players the previous season and a serious contender for the Naismith National Player of the Year honor, which Flagg ultimately took home. With an average of 18.6 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks, the 22-year-old helped Auburn win 32-6 and advance to the last four of the NCAA tournament. However, the 6-foot-10 child’s athleticism was a problem for the draft evaluators even at his peak, and his most recent leap in the NBA draft would not have improved their opinions. At the latter, second draft of the event, Broome can still be selected.