Meaning
What does Ball don’t lie mean?
Ball don’t lie is a popular quote often used by professional basketball player Rasheed Wallace and once famously said by coach Flip Saunders.
The expression is usually said when the free throws miss the hoop after the referee had blown a questionable foul call.
Origin
What's the origin of Ball don’t lie?
While “ball don’t lie” is attributed to basketball player Rasheed Wallace, the expression has most likely been around for decades of playing hoops on concrete courts.
In the 2000’s, both spectators and players all over America were shouting the phrase, which echoed in NBA courts.
Spread & Usage
How did Ball don’t lie spread?
The expression truly turned viral after a Washington Wizards vs Detroit Pistons match, where coach Saunders had shouted the phrase after a scenic miss, that followed a debatable foul call.
A clip of the event was uploaded to YouTube on December 28th, 2006 by user halwayne.
“Ball don’t lie” was first defined on Urban Dictionary in 2007, further contributing to the spread of the expression.
External resources
- The Ringer – Does the Ball Lie? A Review
- Oregon Sport News – Someone Finally Put Rasheed Wallace’s ‘Ball Don’t Lie’ Rule To The Test