Just moments before tip-off between the Connecticut Sun and Washinton Mystics on May 25, Rachel Banham crept behind the three referees for a quick photo-op.
And while that wasn’t the Sun guard’s first time photobombing the refs, it certainly wouldn’t be her last.
“I was actually doing this last year, but randomly, just because I was accidentally photobombing them anyway,” Banham told The Athletic’s Alex Coffey. “I was doing it for myself because I thought it was funny. This year I thought, ‘I’m going to start doing this again, because I think it’s hilarious that the refs are taking photos. Why are they taking photos anyway?'”
And thus, a trend was born.
We stan a queen. #BanhamBomb pic.twitter.com/uWkAKxNlBR
— Connecticut Sun (@ConnecticutSun) July 13, 2019
#BANHAMBOMB pic.twitter.com/PU5LF4apyr
— Connecticut Sun (@ConnecticutSun) July 21, 2019
#BanhamBomb pic.twitter.com/S0ivmhgmLN
— Connecticut Sun (@ConnecticutSun) July 25, 2019
#BanhamBomb pic.twitter.com/LZuLjnCa3u
— Connecticut Sun (@ConnecticutSun) August 19, 2019
#BanhamBomb pic.twitter.com/aK2wLAiBa8
— Connecticut Sun (@ConnecticutSun) September 7, 2019
Even her team has joined in on the fun.
“Basically before the game, before we come out, Rachel will say, ‘I need my photobomb pose,'” Sun guard Layshia Clarendon told The Athletic. “And we’re throwing out suggestions, and she’ll say ‘What about this?’ and we’ll say ‘No that sucks, that’s awful’ or cheer her on. Everyone in the organization started participating, and not just in the pregame meetings — also in the ideas that they’re throwing out for her.”
But it appears the jig is up. (Well, sort of.)
“They’re starting to know now, and they didn’t know for the longest time,” Banham said, per Coffey. “But the last few games, a couple of them have been like ‘Stop photobombing.’ But you know what, a lot of them don’t turn around during the photo, because I think they forget. … They’re so serious. I’m like, ‘Why are you guys so angry?'”
Not this time RB! Finally caught the @WNBA’s stealthy photobomber 📸🏀#WNBAPlayoffs are almost here and our W referees are ready for a great weekend of games to wrap up the regular season! https://t.co/LmDcDb8VTs
— NBA Referees (@OfficialNBARefs) September 6, 2019
Luckily for #BanhamBomb fans, it doesn’t seem like the tradition will end anytime soon.
“The bar is pretty high. We’re going to have to raise our game for the playoffs,” Clarendon noted.
