Alexis Ohanian, the co-founder of Reddit and husband of tennis legend Serena Williams, recently dropped a hilarious revelation about the platform’s origin. According to Ohanian, the creation of Reddit in 2005 wasn’t just about building internet communities but also to help girlfriends figure out their boyfriends’ favorite NBA players.
Yes, you read that right-basketball fandom played a role in birthing one of the internet’s largest hubs. This quirky confession surfaced after a Reddit post went viral. A thoughtful girlfriend sought help identifying her boyfriend’s favorite NBA player, hoping to surprise him with a jersey.
Despite his hints, she couldn’t recall the player’s name but offered specific clues, sparking a frenzy of responses. The post, later shared on X (formerly Twitter), amassed over 3.5 million views. One user cheekily speculated, “This is why Alexis Ohanian created Reddit.” Ohanian replied with a simple yet iconic confirmation: “Yes.”
From an idea to a billion-dollar empire
Reddit, co-founded by Ohanian, Steve Huffman, and Aaron Swartz, has grown into a $27 billion empire, but its humble beginnings included serendipitous moments like this. Serena’s husband has often shared insights about the platform’s early days.
In October, he posted a screenshot of an email he sent during a technopreneurial seminar in Singapore, where he pitched Reddit to industry leader Mark White. To Ohanian’s surprise, White declared the idea one of the best he’d ever heard and offered to help secure funding.
“Bro,” Ohanian captioned the email screenshot, reflecting on the pivotal moment that validated his vision.
Communities helping each other
Now, nearly two decades later, Reddit continues to thrive as a space for vibrant discussions, including ones where basketball-loving girlfriends crowdsource NBA trivia.
While Ohanian may have envisioned creating online communities, his latest admission proves that even billion-dollar ideas can start with something as simple-and as endearing-as trying to help people connect over sports.