Green’s Dictionary of Slang

baller n.

[? have a ball under ball n.3 ; the term is used esp. by the Los Angeles gang the Bloods; balla is a consciously ‘wrong’ spelling, designed to emphasize the ‘outlaw’ status of such individuals]

1. a hedonist.

1962
19701980199020002010
2014
‘Yulesville’ in Bench Racer at r.webring.com 🌐 And with that red nose he looked like a baller.
B. Koeler ‘Be My Alibi’ in ThugLit Sept. [ebook] Alright, big baller, you see the messages.

2. (US black, also balla) one who is extremely rich, esp. from the profits of criminality.

1991
200020102020
2021
[US]L. Bing Do or Die (1992) xvi: The new dealer is a young black entrepreneur, and he is called either a high roller or a baller, depending on his gang allegiance.
[US] Snoop Doggy Dogg ‘Murder was the Case’ 🎵 Livin like a baller loc / I’m havin money, and blowin hella chronic smoke.
[US]Arlington Morning News (Dallas, TX) 6 Nov. 4A: The place has a reputation [...] not always of middle class homes with children on the honor roll, but of broken ones with ‘ballas’ on the corner.
[US]Eminem ‘Under the Influence’ 🎵 I love snatchin’ up playas, thugs and young ballas / Shoot up the household, even the young toddlers.
[US]T.I. ‘Swing Ya Rag’ 🎵 While you’re in the line at the club I’m in the back dawg / and when this song on, ballas peel stacks off.
Young M.A. ‘Eat’ 🎵 Yeah, flexing and stunting, doing what ballers do.
[UK]G. Krauze What They Was 45: They only rate ballers [...] man who are trapping and making p’s and rocking Gucci and Louis and Balmain.
[US]S.A. Crosby Razorblade Tears 166: ‘[They] want to tag along with some real ballers’.

3. (US campus) one who enjoys playing sport, esp. basketball.

1913
19502000
2016
[[Aus]Sport (Adelaide) 23 Aug. 9/1: Nip, a once much sought after baller, is a well known contracter’s pay clerk] .
[US]P. Beatty White Boy Shuffle 73: Ain’t no seventh grade ballers in the city dunking.
[US]Da Bomb 🌐 2: Baller: [...] 2. Someone who loves to play sports especially basketball.
[US]Eble Campus Sl. Apr.
M. Carey ‘Bad News’ 163: The ballers at Bucklin Street Park didn’t quite know what to make of the sullen spectator who stood alone 30 feet from the court.

4. (US campus) an attractive person.

1997
1997199819992000200120022003
2004
[US]College Sl. Research Project (Cal. State Poly. Uni., Pomona) 🌐 Baller (noun) A person who is able to attract many members of the opposite sex. [University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI;].
[US]Eble Campus Sl. Apr.

5. used attrib.

[US]I. Fitzgerald Dirtbag Massachusetts 8: Sara Crewe [...] who is having an incredible baller birthday celebration.