What Does “Calling ISO” Mean? Basketball & TikTok Slang, Explained

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Slang expert Tobi Nwodo explains what it means to call an ISO

Co-authored by Tobi Nwodo and Amy Bobinger, BA

Last Updated: February 9, 2026 Fact Checked

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Meaning in Basketball

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Meaning in Slang

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Other Meanings of ISO

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Calling “ISO” is pretty common in basketball—but what exactly does it mean, and why are people on TikTok saying it about their crush? And for that matter, what’s with the Kobe hand signal that keeps popping up when people say ISO? We talked to slang expert Tobi Nwodo to help us dig into the “Calling ISO” trend on TikTok, and now we’re explaining what ISO means in basketball and TikTok slang, plus a few other definitions of ISO.

What does it mean to call an ISO?

Slang expert Tobi Nwodo says that in basketball, calling ISO is a signal to your teammates to let you have a 1v1 matchup with your defender because you’re confident you’ll score. It’s also used as a slang term on TikTok to mean that your friends should clear out because you want one-on-one time alone with your crush.

Section 1 of 3:

Calling ISO Meaning in Basketball

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In basketball, “ISO” means isolation, or to face a player one-on-one. Nwodo says, “Calling ISO in basketball means calling off all your teammates to take on the defender one-on-one. Usually, the play is reserved for the best offensive players on the team as a chance to get a guaranteed bucket.”^{[1]
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Tobi Nwodo
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Expert Interview} It’s a way of showing that you’re confident you can beat your defender and score, either because of your own offensive skills or because you think your defender is weak.^{[2]
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- When a player “calls an ISO,” they signal to their teammates to clear the floor, usually with a hand motion, like waving them back.
- Calling ISO can be seen as somewhat disrespectful to a defender, since it’s saying you’re sure you’re going to score on them. This TikTok from @jackgst jokingly shares a defender’s mindset when someone calls an ISO on them.
- Kobe Bryant was especially well-known for calling ISOs. Nwodo points out he even had his own signature hand gesture, which people still reference today.^{[3]
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  Expert Interview} This @sportscenter clip on Instagram shows LeBron James teasing Bryant about the hand signal, saying, “All that means is get the h*ll out of the way.”
- Scoring on an ISO is a flex, but it doesn’t always work out, like in this YouTube clip from @GridironBuckets where Angel Reese calls for an ISO and then loses the ball.
- Some fans criticize too much ISO ball, saying it’s not the type of teamwork that makes the game enjoyable to watch.^{[4]
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Meet the wikiHow Expert

Tobi Nwodo, aka Hyperstrides, is an influencer and content creator with over 600,000 followers across YouTube and TikTok. His videos usually cover topics like internet culture, memes, trends, and slang.

Section 2 of 3:

Calling ISO Meaning in TikTok Slang

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If you “call an ISO,” you’re asking for time alone with your crush. Any good fan knows that there’s a sports metaphor for pretty much every situation in life, and basketball’s no exception. If you’re hanging out with your friends and you low-key want to get some one-on-one time with your crush, just call “ISO,” and your friends will know to hang back and give the two of you some time alone.
- Nwodo says if you call an ISO to talk to your crush one-on-one, it “may involve not acknowledging [their] friends, who may be trying to sabotage or distract you.”^{[5]
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- This TikTok from @andytng28 explains that ISO is short for “isolate” or “one on one,” just like in basketball.
- It’s sometimes jokingly paired with Kobe’s ISO hand signal, like in this TikTok from @thatboycarson4.
- ISO is also sometimes used as a synonym of “rizz,” like, “That dude’s got serious ISO,” meaning he’s good at flirting.

Section 3 of 3:

Other Meanings of ISO

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The next most common usage of ISO is “In Search Of.” It’s commonly used in social media posts or online marketplaces to indicate that someone is seeking a specific item. For instance, you might say, “ISO gently used girl’s coat size 7.” ISO can also mean:
- Independent Sales Organization
- International Organization for Standardization
- .iso file format
- ISO camera setting (sensitivity to light)