On Tuesday the NBA announced that summer league referees will be asked to assess in-game flopping penalties. How does this change how many fouls are called in games?
The NBA will utilize this year’s summer league as a testing ground of sorts for an aspect of the modern game that’s been a thorn in the side of more than a few people. Referees who oversee games will have the ability to call in-game flopping penalties.
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NBA Summer League to Test In-Game Flopping Penalty
What is and is not a flop is to be judged by the referee him or herself, although most people have a good idea of what consists of a flop. Should a party be determined guilty of the act, the opposing club will be awarded one free throw, followed by possession of the ball. Said guilty player will be handed an unsportsmanlike technical foul, but not a personal foul. It also won’t lead to an ejection.
Little known fact, unless one is a nerd about NBA rulings, is that the league initiated in 2012 a degree of punishment for flopping. Players receive a warning from the referee and increasing fine levels should their uncouth behaviour persist. The reality is that it’s very rarely been enforced, hence this new attempt to minimize occurrences of the dishonest practice.
The NBA’s textbook definition of a flop is as follows:
“…an attempt to either fool referees into calling undeserved fouls or fool fans into thinking the referees missed a foul by exaggerating the effect of contact with an opposing player.”
The 2023 NBA Summer League will take place in Las Vegas from July 7 through the 17.
