Flopping, the act of intentionally falling or exaggerating contact from an opposing player. Referees are put in interesting situations at times with guys who have mastered the art of flopping, with guys such as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, LeBron James, and Joel Embiid using certain motions in the act of shooting to get the calls they want. Although many people hate it, this is now just considered a skill, and getting to the line to earn your team crucial points is simply just a part of the game.
The controversy over the calls has been very high recently, with Celtics star guard Jaylen Brown calling out 76ers star center Joel Embiid for his flopping in their recent round one playoff series. A series where the Celtics led the 76ers 3-1 in the first round of the National Basketball Association (NBA) playoffs, but eventually would blow the lead to Embiid and the 76ers. Although the comments were brought upon, it’s clear Embiid has done a good amount of flopping through his career, and at this point just seems to be another specialty to his game.
Similar to Joel Embiid, reigning Most Valuable Player (MVP) Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been portrayed as a “free-throw merchant” for his ability to flop and get to the free-throw line. Shai is a very skilled player who averages about 31 points a contest and is known for his ability to create shots when his team needs them. With this, he has also done a magnificent job of timing his body movements in order to draw fouls, which only helps his team, as it also puts the opposing team into foul trouble at times.
For some basketball fans, they are having a hard time adjusting to this new look NBA as it is simply just a part of the game.
“Flopping has destroyed basketball games as we are forced to watch free throws instead of the constant fast-paced buckets,” Joshua Lin (9) said.
This is the new normal for basketball games as the games continue to evolve compared to what they once were. Many compare how the game in the ’90s era with Michael Jordan was much more competitive due to the fact that players were not afraid of taking contact when taking shots. Fast forward today, some notable players do the same, but for some, they have mastered the art of exaggerating body movements to get to the free-throw line their own way. With this new age, some basketball fans understand the technique and reward players for doing so.
“A player like Jame Harden took advantage of flopping in smart ways to help himself during his prime and MVP years in the league,” said Michael Nwishi (10).
No matter how you view flopping, NBA fans just must be ready for this new era of basketball, as it is not going anywhere. With top stars in the league only finding new ways to exaggerate their body movements, the art of flopping only gets promoted even more.
“Shai Gilgeous Alexander has been the best player in the NBA on the best team, so of course this creates a reaction of others resorting to flopping,” said Kanav Singh (10).
No matter if you hate it or love it, flopping is simply another aspect of the game of basketball.
