In this article, we’ll talk about what the “I Was Sleepy” meme is, where it came from, how it became famous, and why people love it.
The internet is full of funny memes, and one of the latest ones to blow up on TikTok is the “I Was Sleepy” meme. This meme comes from a 2024 basketball tryout video that became super popular. It shows a funny moment where a teenager named Gingy Logan thought someone was talking to him when they weren’t.
Since then, the phrase “I Was Sleepy” has spread all over TikTok, with people making jokes and remixes of the clip.
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What Is the “I Was Sleepy” Meme?
The “I Was Sleepy” meme comes from a basketball tryout video featuring YouTuber Cam Wilder. In the video, Wilder tells his cameraman to zoom in on a teenager with messy hair.
But before the camera moves, another teenager with red hair, Gingy Logan, thinks Wilder is talking about him.
So, Gingy quickly says, “I Was Sleepy,” before realizing the camera wasn’t meant for him.
The awkwardness of this mistake, mixed with how random the phrase was, made the clip go viral.
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On TikTok, people call this kind of moment a “Negative Aura” moment, which is used to describe cringeworthy or awkward situations. The phrase “I Was Sleepy” then became a joke that people started using in funny ways online.
Where Did the “I Was Sleepy” Meme Come From?
The video clip comes from a YouTube video that Cam Wilder posted on April 8, 2024. The video is called “I HOSTED AAU BASKETBALL TRYOUTS IN LAS VEGAS!”
The funny moment happens at 3:59 in the video when Wilder looks at a teenager with messy hair and says:
“Number two, n**gas took a nap before they walked in here right, get a close-up on his hair.”
As the camera moves, Gingy Logan thinks he is being called out and quickly responds, “I Was Sleepy.” This little mistake ended up becoming a huge internet trend.
How Did “I Was Sleepy” Become Popular?
Even though the video was posted in 2024, the meme became super famous in early 2025, mostly because of TikTok.
The meme really took off when TikTok user @and1mediaa shared the clip, which got more than 8 million views.
After that, many TikTok users started making their own versions of the meme.
One of the most popular parodies was by @xavierc.07, titled “I was sleepy 99.69% accuracy”. This video got over 7 million views and 1 million likes, making the meme even bigger.
Even Gingy Logan himself joined in! Using the username @gingylogann, he posted a video showing what happened after the clip. In the video, Cam Wilder jokingly gave him $100 for his unexpected internet fame.
Why Do People Love the “I Was Sleepy” Meme?
People love this meme because it’s funny and relatable. The awkwardness of Gingy’s response and the way he said it made it the perfect internet joke.
Here’s why the meme became so popular:
- Unexpectedly Funny: Nobody saw the moment coming, which made it even funnier.
- Awkwardness: People love watching cringey moments unfold.
- Easy to Copy: TikTok users love making their own versions of viral clips.
- Catchy Phrase: “I Was Sleepy” is simple and can be used in different situations.
The “I Was Sleepy” meme shows how a simple, awkward moment can turn into a huge internet hit. What started as a funny misunderstanding in a 2024 basketball tryout video became a viral joke in 2025, leading to millions of views and tons of remixes.
Because of this moment, Gingy Logan became an internet star, and his phrase “I Was Sleepy” became a new way to describe awkward situations.
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