On Saturday Arsenal carried their strong form to Selhurst Park, where they comfortably put away Crystal Palace with a 5-1 win away from home. With goals coming from Jesus, Havertz, Martinelli, and Rice—at no point did the Gunners look under pressure. Picking up 3 points away from home was a crucial result in terms of the title race, as Liverpool lead the league with 39 points and Arsenal chase in 3rd with 33.
Midfield maestro Rice dropped a masterclass in the game, picking up an assist and a goal to add to his season tally, which now stands at 5 assists and 2 goals in 21 games, solid attacking output for a holding midfielder. Against Palace, Rice scored Arsenal’s fifth in the 84th minute, putting the game to bed and having an appropriate celebration for it as well.
His celebration that followed—mimicking Steph Curry’s iconic “Night Night” gesture. As Rice ran towards the Arsenal faithful, he placed his hands under his head and tilted his body slightly, imitating the act of sleeping. This gesture was popularized by Golden State Warriors’ star Stephen Curry, one of the greatest shooters and basketball players in this generation.
The “Night Night” celebration has its roots in the NBA, where Steph Curry first introduced it during a game against the Denver Nuggets in the 2022 Playoffs. Curry, known for his clutch shooting and unshakeable confidence, performed the gesture after scoring a crucial layup with just a few minutes to play. Talking about the origin, he says, “It started with just some self-talk. It was the Denver series in our first round; it was 3 minutes left in the game. And I was talking to myself, like, We gotta finish it. We gotta put this to bed. We gotta put them to sleep.”
For Rice, it was a fitting metaphor; while Arsenal were comfortably ahead even before Rice scored, the Englishman was the one to put the final nail in the coffin.
The celebration is a declaration of finality—a visual mic drop that says, “This game is over, and I’m the one who ended it.” Its simplicity and swagger have made it an instant hit across sports, transcending basketball and becoming a universal symbol of dominance.
Athletes That Have Borrowed the Night Night Celebration
If there’s someone who can be compared to Steph Curry in the world of WNBA, it’s Sabrina Ionescu. The New York Liberty star recently took on Steph Curry in a 3pt competition and came close to beating Curry. Although from her celebrations dating back to June 2022, we can definitely tell she was a Steph fan. After knocking down a long-range 3 pt shot in the 4th Quarter, Ionescu dropped the Night Night celebration while casually jogging back.
Heading over to baseball, during the same time, Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Andrew McCutchen was probably the second to use it. He dropped the celebration in a game against the Toronto Blue Jays after hitting a home run.
Jumping back into the world of football, this time the women’s game with USWNT star Alex Morgan. After the United States won the CONCACAF championship in July of 2022, she posted the picture of herself doing the Night Night gesture along with the trophies in her lap. Steph Currye even spoke about Morgan using the celebration: “Alex Morgan is probably my favorite because she had the (CONCACAF women’s championship) trophy with her and hit the ‘Night Night,’ and we were able to post it.”
From one GOAT to another, Lionel Messi also dropped the Night Night celebration in his return to the MLS against the Philadelphia Union, where he helped his side to a 3-1 win. After scoring his second goal, Messi appeared to bring out a new celebration where he made this sleeping gesture.
Messi’s ex-teammate and a huge basketball fan, Neymar Jr. also used the Night Night celebration in 2022, celebrating his goal in PSG’s win against Montpellier. Curry responded to Neymar’s gesture as well.
