All About TikTok's “I Know Ball” Trend (And How to Do It)

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Plus, learn about other fun TikTok trends!
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The TikTok trend cycle happens practically overnight, with new trends popping up all the time. The latest is the “I Know Ball” trend, where you show off something you’re knowledgeable in, and it’s taking the platform by storm. If you’re confused as to what “I know ball” means, you’re not alone, and we’re here to help! In this article, we explain the “I Know Ball” trend, talk about how to do it, and more! Read on to get up to speed with this latest TikTok trend.

What is the “I Know Ball?” trend?

On TikTok, “I Know Ball” is a trend where you show off your skills in a particular topic to prove others wrong. A typical post is captioned with, “When I do X and they say I don’t know ball,” followed by a pic or video where they're showing off doing that particular thing, with the caption “Trust me. I know ball.”

Section 1 of 3:

What is the “I Know Ball” trend on TikTok?

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  1. The term originates from basketball, when “knowing ball” meant that you understood the game. With the “I Know Ball” trend, the poster refers to something they’re good at by saying “When XYZ acts like I don’t know ball” before posting proof of their skills via images captioned “I,” “Know,” and “Ball” (or another variation of the phrase).
    • TikTok Example: On August 29, 2025, @bellaamiina posted a TikTok with the caption “When I walk into Sephora bare face and they think I don’t know ball,” before showing off a full beat of makeup with the caption “Baby I know ball 💋”
    • TikTok Example: On September 4, 2025, @kg__golf posted a TikTok with the caption “A group of girls walked past me and I ignored them. They said I don’t know ball,” before showing a picture of him and his girlfriend with the caption “Trust me. I know ball.”
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Section 2 of 3:

How to Do the “I Know Ball” Trend

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  1. It can be anything you're good at like, a sport or a hobby. Grab some photos or video clips of you doing the thing you want to show off (as well as a few regular shots of yourself) and open them in the TikTok editor.
    • Pick at least 3 photos so your audience stays engaged and has something to swipe through.
    • Keep it to 5-7 photos total. Fast food & social media expert Wayne Dang says to “try to make the video as short as possible without sacrificing quality and detail. Any unnecessary information will likely make the viewer click away.” [1]
  2. Start with a photo of yourself as the first in the slideshow. Then, organize the photos or videos of you with the thing you want to show off afterwards. If you choose a video, make sure it’s at the end so users get to through the rest of the content quickly.
  3. Use the text feature in the TikTok editor to add a caption to your first photo. Caption the first photo “When I [do something] and they act like I don’t know ball” and make sure to replace the placeholder text with what you want to show off. Then, caption your subsequent clips with “I know ball” or “trust me, I know ball,” breaking the words up between images. Once you’re done, click post!
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Section 3 of 3:

Other Popular TikTok Trends

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  1. 1
    Propaganda I’m Not Falling For The “ Propaganda I’m Not Falling For ” trend on TikTok is a trend where users post ideas, beliefs, and habits they believe are problematic. They equate these problematic ideas to propaganda, encouraging others to think critically about the trends they follow and the messages they take in.
    • TikTok Example: On June 19, 2025, @phemza_boi posted a TikTok about “Propaganda I’m Not Falling For,” where they referred to things like last-minute invites, being friends with someone you don’t actually like, and Italian brainrot .
  2. 2
    My 90 in a 35 According to meme, brainrot, and slang content creator Tobi Nwodo, “ My 90 in a 35 ” is a TikTok trend where users post themselves in cars while bumping a song they enjoy. These TikToks are typically captioned “my 90 in a 35,” meaning the songs they’re bumping are the ones they’d drive 95 mph to in a 35 mph zone. [2]
    • TikTok Example: On August 7, 2025, @daefrazzy posted a TikTok passionately lip-syncing “Portuguese Love” by Teena Marie with the caption “truly my 90 in a 35.”
  3. 3
    Holy Airball On TikTok, “holy airball” is a trend and slang phrase used when someone assumes something that’s completely wrong. In videos (which are paired with the song “Soul Survivor” by Akon and Young Jeezy), people share a fact about themselves, then follow it up with a wrong assumption or belief from someone. They end the video by showing what they actually meant with the caption “holy airball.”
    • TikTok Example: On May 22, 2025, @thebestofaliii posted a TikTok with the caption “told him my dad was in the music industry…he said ‘oh like a manager?’ #holyfreakinairball.” The caption was split among 3 photos, 2 of her and 1 with her and her father, Akon himself.
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      References

      1. ↑ Wayne Dang. Fast Food & Social Media Expert. Expert Interview
      2. ↑ Tobi Nwodo. Meme, Brainrot, and Slang Content Creator. Expert Interview

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