The NBA (Competition Committee) is discussing the possibility of implementing a rule copied from FIBA that would punish flopping players with a technical foul and a free throw for the opponent, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic. This new rule could be tested in the next tournament of the Summer League.
This rule already exists in Europe and in FIBA basketball in general. If a referee decides that a player has clearly overplayed in contact (or there has been no contact) with an opponent and flopped, the other team gets a free throw and the player receives a technical foul that counts as one of two that can get the player ejected.
Sources: The NBA’s Competition Committee is discussing potential of in-game penalty for flops that would result in technical foul free throw. Trial is possible at Summer League in July.
– Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) May 25, 2023
During his team’s 2023 playoff series against the Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr actually suggested that the NBA should implement a similar rule to penalize players who flounder.
“I think about what I learned coaching in the FIBA world. There is a specific rule for flopping.” Kerr said. The current Team USA head coach served as the team’s assistant under Gregg Popovich at the 2019 World Cup and the 2021 Olympic Games. “If a referee feels that a player flopped, he gives them a technical foul and it’s pretty penalizing. And so flopping has basically been eliminated by FIBA and we have the ability to do the same thing in the NBA if we want to.”
Right now, the NBA punishes flopping with a technical foul but no free throws. After post-game review, players can also receive fines for repeated violations ranging from $5,000 (two violations) to $30,000 (five violations).
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