LeBron James. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
(WSCR) The NBA announced today it will begin punishing players for flopping.
One-time offenders will be given a warning and then will be fined $5,000 for a second violation. The fines increase to $10,000 for a third offense, $15,000 for a fourth and $30,000 the fifth time. Six or more offenses could lead to a suspension.
“The primary factor in determining whether a player committed a flop is whether his physical reaction to contact with another player is inconsistent with what would reasonably be expected given the force or direction of the contact,” the NBA said in a statement.
“Flops have no place in our game -they either fool referees into calling undeserved fouls or fool fans into thinking the referees missed a foul call,” vice president of basketball operations Stu Jackson said. “Accordingly, both the Board of Governors and the competition committee felt strongly that any player who the league determines, following video review, to have committed a flop should – after a warning – be given an automatic penalty.”
