The NBA has recently announced that a flopping penalty will be implemented beginning in the 2023-24 season.
Any player deemed to do so moving forward will be slapped with a non-unsportsmanlike technical foul. The opposing team will be awarded a free throw attempt and the technical foul will be considered a team foul. Meanwhile, the player in question will be fined $2,000 for a first offense with the amount increasing for additional infractions.
Flopping and the controversy that comes with it has been prevalent in the game for a while now with players attempting to get underserved fouls by exaggerating contact. We have seen players flopping when coming off screens, taking a charge, or selling a push-off. It has come to a point where flopping has become so frequent that the NBA Board of Governors has now had to step in.
Referees can call the flop penalty when the ball is live or during the next dead ball. In addition, the flop penalty can also be called if seen in a later replay or coach’s challenge.
Another rule added this season is that coaches will be given an additional challenge if their first challenge is successful. An additional challenge can be beneficial for coaches down the stretch of a close game if they think referees missed a call or called a foul incorrectly.
