Written by Last week, LeBron James earned a warning from the NBA for his acting. While his acting was not good enough to win at the Oscars or Golden Globes, it did fool the officials on the court and they called a foul on the opposing player. The Lakers were down by a good amount at that point in the game, and it could have possibly turned the tide as the Lakers ended up winning the game.
The question that we have to ask is flopping worse in soccer or basketball? No that really is not the question. The real question here is does flopping reflect on the player, coach, and team’s morals, values, ethics, and team culture? Some may argue that flopping is part of the game and if the official falls for it, then it is the official’s fault. This same group will also state that if it is not in the rulebooks, it is not illegal…Or if you punch an opposing player in the face and the referee did not see it, is it illegal?
For me, as coach, parent, human being, and former athlete, I am staunchly against it. I equate flopping with deception and lying. As a parent and youth coach, am I going to teach athletes flopping or allow it to happen? Definitely not. As a professional coach, I have pulled players immediately and benched them for the rest of the game, at a minimum. As a national teams coach, I would do the same but I never had to do it at that level. I may be harsh on my views, reaction, and reasoning on flopping in a game.
LeBron James received a warning from the NBA and nothing else. He also earned a foul against the other team and potentially changed the flow of the game, which resulted in a win. The NBA showed that there is really no accountability for the action, and much worse, condoned his actions. Now let’s say this was the NBA Finals and LeBron James flopped in the final seconds of the game, the officials bought it, and he was awarded free throws which won them the game. What would the Lakers and the NBA do then?
Would the Lakers suspend and fine Lebron James? No, he just won the championship for them.
Would the NBA suspend and fine James? The answer is still no because his actions won the game and the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy.
Would the NBA rescind the championship and declare the other team the winner? The answer is still no.
How does flopping reflect on an organization? That is for each individual to decide. Is winning at all costs, to include flopping, the right way to win? If your team has to resort to flopping, are they really good enough to be competing at the same level as the other team? Do you want your team to be remembered for flopping? Those are all questions coaches, athletes, general managers, athletic directors, owners, leagues, schools, and fans have to decide for themselves.