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'Holy Airball' trend explained: Celebs, athletes take time to show off
'Holy Airball' trend explained: Celebs, athletes take time to show off
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'Holy airball' slang and TikTok trend explained
A new TikTok trend is helping people realize when they're preconceived notions and assumptions have missed the mark.
- Know Your Meme
TikTok users are "flexing" on a whole new level as part of the latest social media trend.
The "Holy (Freaking) Airball" TikTok trend features celebrities, professional athletes and just everyday people showing off what they are known for − or rather, things they believe others should already know about them.
Even Gordon Ramsey has hopped on the trend. In a TikTok video with more than 5.6 million views as of June 2, Ramsey shared photos with the on-screen caption, "Told them, 'I like to cook.' They said, 'What? Like sheet pan meals?'" The video then shows photos of Ramsey in front of his Las Vegas restaurant with the caption, "Holy airball."
"If you are not a sports person, you probably have no idea like what this even means. Basically, an airball is when someone shoots the hoop, like in basketball, and they completely miss," TikTok user Jade Dexter explained in a video. "It's no net, no net at all. You don't hit the rim. You miss your shot, basically."
Need a bit more background? Here's what to know about the "Holy (Freaking) Airball" trend.
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What is the 'Holy (Freaking) Airball' trend?
Gaining traction on TikTok in late May, the "Holy (Freaking) Airball" trend features videos of users "flexing," or bragging on what they are most known for, whether it be a career, hobby or achievement. The videos are set to Jeezy's 2005 hit "Survivor."
Videos are formatted like a conversation with a new date or friend, in which the user has to "break it" to the other person that they are in fact worth being known about.
Actress, singer and dancer Julianne Hough, known for winning "Dancing the the Stars" twice, participated in the trend. In her TikTok video, which had 620,000 views as of June 2, Hough's video starts with a selfie with the on-screen caption, "Told him I liked to dance." The video then transitions to an old photo of Hough dancing as a kid with the on-screen caption, "He said, 'Oh, cute. As a kid?'" A series of videos of Houghs competing on "Dancing with the Stars" then plays with the on-screen caption, "#HolyAirball."
The "airball" refers to a missed basketball dunk, an analogy that the person inquiring about the poster's career, hobby or achievement missed an opportunity to know an important piece of information.
Who else is chiming in?
All types of TikTok users have jumped on the trend.
Former Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader Stephanie Roberts' "Holy (Freaking) Airball" video had 69,000 views as of June 2.
"Told them I was a professional dancer," Roberts' video starts, featuring an older photo of her, outside of cheer attire. "'Oh, like a ballet dancer?'" the video continues. Robert's video then carousels through a collection of photos of her time as a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader.
New York public defender Eliza Orlins, better known for her appearances on "Survivor" and "The Amazing Race," tapped into the trend, too.
Orlins' TikTok video starts with her showing off a dress in a mirror with the on-screen caption, "I told him I loved 'Survivor.'" It continues, "He said, 'Oh, do you watch that show?'" To which Orlins' video concludes with several screenshots of her from her time competing on the show in 2004 and 2008. As of June 2, the video had 461,000 views.
TikTok user Mattie Cassaday took a more humorous approach to the trend.
"Told them I had a lot of school spirit," Cassady's TikTok video starts. "They said, 'What, like you're a cheerleader?' The video then segues to videos of Cassady inside the University of Oklahoma's horse mascot costume. As of June 2, Cassady's video had 20,700 views.
Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Story idea? Email her at gcross@
