Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(UK/US black) to play basketball.

1997–2000		Da Bomb 🌐 2: Balling: Playing well (usually in basketball).
1997–2001		Online Sl. Dict. 🌐 ball v 1. to play basketball. (‘I was balling with some friends yesterday.’).
2006		G. Pelecanos Night Gardener 58: Ronald and Richard Spriggs were tough, but they couldn’t ball. Diego and Shaka took every game.
2016		A. Wheatle Crongton Knights 3: Gs spent their time [...] balling in open-air basketball courts.
2024		D. Rucker Life’s Too Short 110: We’re old, true, and some of us may not be in the best shape of our lives, but we can ball.