By CLIFF BRUNT, AP Sports activities Author
NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — LaMelo Ball has by no means been extra widespread, and it’s not as a result of Charlotte’s 6-foot-7 star has the Hornets preventing for a playoff spot.
They hype is essentially about his peak. And Charlotte is making an attempt to take benefit.
Dictionary.com named the time period “6-7” its word of the year for 2025, and the worldwide “6-7” craze continues to be going sturdy at professional and faculty basketball video games. Young fans, gamers and coaches eagerly observe when groups close to 67 factors, and pandemonium ensues when their group hits the mark.
The Hornets and New Orleans Pelicans are amongst NBA groups that characteristic “6-7” cams throughout timeouts at some video games. Seth Bennett, the Hornets’ chief advertising and marketing officer, mentioned Charlotte’s advertising and marketing and sport presentation groups began discussing a attainable “6-7” cam to capitalize on the development and Ball’s involvement in it.
“For us as a franchise, we all the time wish to take heed to our followers, and typically you take heed to observing what they’re into, their developments and likes, and it’s a method for us to connect with that and hopefully have them connect with us in a enjoyable method once they’re experiencing it right here,” Bennett mentioned.
The Hornets’ cam is generally restricted to children days and weekend video games so it doesn’t get outdated. Michael Robinson, who attended a sport between the Hornets and 76ers together with his 6-year-old son, Abel, mentioned it’s nonstop at house.
Abel mentioned he realized about it from his mates and on YouTube.
“It’s simply cool,” Abel mentioned. “It’s enjoyable.”
The ‘6-7’ originator can’t consider its attain
The origins of the “6-7” growth are Skrilla’s 2024 track “Doot Doot (6-7).” Skrilla leaked the track with out a lot expectation, nevertheless it exploded on TikTok final 12 months with basketball gamers, together with Ball and prep standout Taylen Kinney, driving its reputation.
Nobody is kind of certain what 6-7 means, and Skrilla stored it that method when requested for a definition.
“Everyone created their very own that means,” he informed The Related Press. “The lecturers created their very own that means. The soccer groups created their very own, the basketball (gamers). ‘6-7’ is international. It’s greater than me now. So ‘6-7.’ Shout out to ‘6-7.’”
The nonsensical meme has its personal hand gesture, too — flip your palms up, and alternate lifting your arms. Charlotte ahead Miles Bridges made the gesture a number of weeks in the past after hitting a 3-pointer in opposition to the Indiana Pacers.
Bridges is also 6-foot-7.
“I believe that’s the group’s method of getting a bit enjoyable with LaMelo anytime that they will type of incorporate that in simply to tease him a bit bit, and he’s an incredible sport about it as nicely,” Bennett mentioned.
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FILE – Oklahoma followers maintain up a large 6-7 signal in the course of the second half of a NCAA faculty basketball sport in opposition to South Carolina Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026 in Norman, Okla. (AP Photograph/Alonzo Adams, File)
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FILE – Oklahoma followers maintain up a large 6-7 signal in the course of the second half of a NCAA faculty basketball sport in opposition to South Carolina Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026 in Norman, Okla. (AP Photograph/Alonzo Adams, File)
‘6-7’ is large on basketball courts all over the place
Followers have been on 67-point watch at video games throughout the nation. It appeared to bubble up first at women’s college games, together with at Oklahoma. Now, followers there maintain up indicators handed out by the college.
On Dec. 22, the Sooners led North Carolina Central 64-29 within the closing seconds of the primary half. When Aaliyah Chavez drained a 3-pointer on the buzzer, followers went wild.
Oklahoma heart Raegan Beers mentioned the group loved giving the followers that second.
“That’s why I really like this sport (with the children),” she mentioned. “I do know a whole lot of us love this sport right here, simply to have that power within the constructing, and clearly lean into what’s trending in the mean time, which is 6-7, no matter which means. And so it was a lot enjoyable to have that second and simply let the children take pleasure in it.”
Daniel Durbin, director of Southern California’s Annenberg Institute of Sports activities, Media and Society, attended USC’s ladies’s basketball sport in opposition to Rutgers on Feb. 1 and witnessed the phenomenon first hand. He famous that the DJ even introduced the likelihood. The Trojans missed two free throws at 66, constructing the anticipation. When Yakiya Milton made a free throw that pushed the score to 67, the group erupted into what Durbin referred to as the loudest cheer of the sport.
Durbin mentioned it falls below the lengthy historical past of arbitrary sports activities traditions followers have created to really feel extra related to the motion.
“Consider all of the superstitions followers have throughout video games, rituals that they enact to ‘assist’ the group win,” he mentioned. “As followers stroll throughout the road to USC soccer video games, most of them kick the bottom of a sure lamppost. Why? It makes them a part of the sport. They’re enacting a meaningless ritual many USC followers carry out for ‘luck.’”
Adults are doing it, too
Even the coaches are in on it. On Maryland’s annual Subject Journey Day sport, Terrapins coach Brenda Frese wore a jersey with the quantity 67 on it earlier than tipoff. LSU ladies’s basketball coach Kim Mulkey did the hand gesture whereas on the large display throughout a win over Morgan State, drawing an eruption from the house crowd and laughter from her gamers.
Mulkey mentioned her grandson got upset with her after a game because LSU skipped 67 points and went straight to 68.
TCU’s women beat Baylor 83-67 on Feb. 12, and Olivia Miles scored 40 factors and Marta Suarez scored 27 — a mixed 67. With the 2 at his aspect within the postgame media session, Horned Frogs coach Mark Campbell bought sucked in.
“For a duo, I’ve by no means been part of a duo that scored 67 factors in a single sport,” he mentioned.
As Miles did the hand gesture and Suarez laughed, Campbell pointed at Miles and mentioned, “That’s loopy. ‘6-7,’” as he added the hand gesture.
The development has impacted the sport on the court docket at instances, too. After Maryland took a 64-18 lead in opposition to Central Connecticut State in December, the Terps tried 5 straight 3-pointers earlier than Yarden Garzon lastly made one to offer Maryland precisely 67 factors.
The craze is perplexing to oldsters, however Bennett mentioned the Hornets have embraced it to carry pleasure to younger individuals.
“General, it’s been constructive,” he mentioned. “No strategy to make a adverse out of one thing that’s simply actually nothing connected to it, simply enjoyable.”
AP Sports activities Writers Brett Martel in New Orleans and Steve Reed in Charlotte, North Carolina, contributed to this report.
