If you’ve scrolled through TikTok recently, chances are you’ve seen people declaring: “I know ball”. But what exactly does that mean, and why is it suddenly everywhere?
At its core, “I know ball” is a slang phrase meaning “I know what I’m talking about”. It originally comes from sports culture, specifically basketball, where “knowing ball” meant you understood the the game.
Now, it’s become slang for having expertise in anything, whether that’s fantasy football, art history, or even choosing the best meal deal combo at Tesco. Basically, if you “know ball,” you know your stuff.
@rubyhusseyy a pro baller at this stage
On TikTok, though, the phrase has taken on a life of its own. The “I know ball” trend involves creators showing off their skills or knowledge to shut down doubters. A classic format is captioned: “When I do X and they say I don’t know ball,” followed by a clip or series of photos proving their point.
The final frames are typically stamped with the phrase “I know ball”. It’s a simple structure that creators can adapt to literally any subject. The audio used for the trend is a remix of Rich the Kid’s Plug Walk, which now has nearly 500,000 videos under the sound.
Of course, in true Gen Z fashion, the trend isn’t just being used to show off actual talents or sports knowledge. It’s being flipped into a joke.
Instead of flexing basketball stats or gaming skills, people are proudly declaring they “know ball” about things like bed rotting, hitting rock bottom, or living with IBS. The humour comes from applying a phrase that started with expertise to the most unglamorous parts of everyday life, proving that on TikTok, even your worst habits can be a flex.
One person might post about correctly predicting a Love Island breakup, while another might show off their uncanny ability to spot red flags in a situationship. Both fall under the umbrella of “knowing ball”.
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Featured image credit: TikTok/@rubyhusseyy
