Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton said NBA athletes are no longer learning how to draw legitimate contact but are instead “being taught” to flop, arguing that the tactic has reached an unsustainable level across the league.
Haliburton’s comments, published Wednesday, come amid growing criticism of exaggerated falls and head-snapping motions used to influence officials’ foul calls. “Guys are literally being coached to do it,” he said, adding that the habit now starts early in players’ careers.
The 24-year-old All-Star insisted the practice hurts the game’s flow and credibility, noting that constant stoppages frustrate players, coaches and fans alike. Haliburton also suggested the league should tighten officiating guidelines to discourage embellishment.
League executives have not responded publicly to Haliburton’s remarks, but the NBA has issued several in-season memos over the past years warning teams about flopping and assessing fines for repeat offenders.
Haliburton, one of the league’s assist leaders, said he hopes public pressure will prompt rule changes before the problem further escalates. “If we want the product to be pure,” he said, “we have to fix this now.”
Source: New York Post
