Do basketball coaches teach players to “Flop” in order to draw a foul?

[cockhrnleghrn]

Coaches teach players to sell foul calls and flopping on a "charge" is one of those situations. Of course, if it isn't called, the offense usually gets an easy basket.

 

[MD#12Fan]

In a 5/7/21 article regarding a meeting of The NCAA Women’s Basketball Rules Committee, there was a section entitled “Point of emphasis” (bolding by me):

“The committee held discussions regarding players who fake being fouled. The committee is concerned that these tactics are being taught, and officials will be instructed to carefully monitor these situations.​

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“Examples of what officials will watch for include players involved in block/charge plays, players falling to the court despite not being contacted during or after field goal attempts, dribblers who bob their heads to simulate being contacted and players who act like they were the recipient of contact despite not being touched.”​

Remember that play in the Elite 8 game against Baylor, where Evina Westbrook and DiJonai Carrington were jostling for a rebound, and Carrington drew a foul call against Westbrook by launching herself into the air as though she’d been shot out of a cannon?

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And that play yesterday, where Paige Bueckers put her hand on Destanni Henderson’s midsection as she dribbled past, and Henderson drew a foul call against Bueckers by reacting as though she’d been punched in the jaw?

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Do you think all/most coaches are guilty of teaching “flopping” at some level or another? Or are some coaches more likely than others to encourage this kind of behavior in their players? Or are these just considered savvy plays by veteran players (Carrington was a graduate transfer from Stanford at the time, Henderson a senior)?

Great post! I like talking hoops! Reason why I still have hope for this blog.
I feel like one can root like heck for the UConn women and still talk hoops, which sometimes means being critical. Look forward to more of your threads.

 

[CL82]

That was great…Greg Paulus.. fainting goat.

 

[Skeets]

Coaches teach players to sell foul calls and flopping on a "charge" is one of those situations. Of course, if it isn't called, the offense usually gets an easy basket.

I think the majority of flops are actual fouls with the player trying to ensure the ref saw the foul. There are hilarious exceptions like the one shown in HHH video. When it's not a real foul the flop usually (but not always) looks ridiculous.

Driving home from a UCONN game several years ago and listening to the post game on the radio, CD (the coach) was complaining about jump shooters taking a shot and falling on their butts. She described it as "so Catholic school". In the context of her interview, she might have been talking about her playing days at Rutgers being similar to today's game...

 

[4evrwbbfan]

I’ve watched the replay several times as well, and I’m fairly certain Henderson was exaggerating the contact in an attempt to draw a foul call (this after just having had her hands all over Bueckers). I do think however that she may have been just as surprised as the rest of us that it actually worked. Even Dawn Staley’s friend and mentor Carolyn Peck was moved to say “…I don’t quite understand that either…that’s just a little ticky-tack foul, c’mon now!”

Still disagree. I think their feet got a bit tangled up and they both lost their balance a bit. Immediately after this frame, Paige goes down to one knee and Henderson staggers a bit. Neither player was really at fault. Ref, if anything, should have called a foul for tripping. Henderson was trying to sell that she didn’t do anything. Ref blew the call. All I am really saying is that I do not think this was a good example of a flop.

 

[HHH]

Still disagree. I think their feet got a bit tangled up and they both lost their balance a bit. Immediately after this frame, Paige goes down to one knee and Henderson staggers a bit. Neither player was really at fault. Ref, if anything, should have called a foul for tripping. Henderson was trying to sell that she didn’t do anything. Ref blew the call. All I am really saying is that I do not think this was a good example of a flop.

I used “Flop” in the title of the thread as a generic term for what the NCAA Women’s Basketball Rules Committee referred to as “players who fake being fouled”, including “players who act like they were the recipient of contact despite not being touched”.

Henderson holding her arms up in the air was to me a dead giveaway she was trying to sell something. Whether it was “I didn’t do anything, she just fell” as you’re suggesting, or “Bueckers pushed me so hard I almost fell over” as the ref was buying, only Henderson (and anyone she might confide in) will ever know for sure….

 

[mhshuskies]

I may be so bold to say: Coaches teach contact acting classes. I know this is picking on ND but I'm only speaking from what I have seen--Notre Dame Women were taught to initiate contact and typically they drew fouls. I don't attend Geno's practices, I have never read his practices manual, but if I were Geno/Chris/Valley, et al until the game officials STOP awarding fouls to those attacked by those initiating the foul,; I'd be teaching the finer points of FLOPPING. If Geno isn't he should be. It's like being in a war where the other guy breaks all the rules and your side is forced to live by morality rules--and your side is getting massacred.
Father Barthemeau was our coach. As he taught every dirty trick in basketball in the books and some never seen before he repeated over and over and over: "these are not for YOU to use but so you'll recognize them if they should happen". Knowing full well, when the right opportunity arose, we'd rise to the occasion. Flopping is a dirty trick.

It was what nd was best at!

 

[mhshuskies]

Best flop: 2014 NC vs nd, Mabrey runs in to Steph and flops, then whines to the ref, while Steph rolls to the hoop for a rebound put back and one! Wonderful!

 

[Big Fan]

I always thought Muffet and ND had the had the license for flopping

 

[willie99]

Yes, and it really started with K

Rumor has it Dook players all take drama and acting classes

 

[mdakota]

OMG have you seen the Mabrey's play? lol.... Flop City....

Sorry didn't read previous posts referring to the Mabrey's. I was just so excited to list them... But i've read the previous posts now

 

[mhshuskies]

Yes, and it really started with K

Rumor has it Dook players all take drama and acting classes

They have to change somehow, the players previously best resembles speed bumps from being thrown under the bus so often by the previous coach.