Since the NBA announced its new anti-flopping rules, reaction from players, former player and coaches has been mostly positive. Here's a sampling:
Tyson Chandler: 'There are a lot of guys in the league that are in trouble."
Tom Thibodeau: "Every year, there's usually a few points of emphasis. The flopping is something they've discussed for a number of years. The game is in a very good place right now. You're always trying to improve it. I think it will be better. The flopping has gotten a little out of hand."
John Lucas III: "I think everybody flops in the league...somebody grab my jersey, I'll sell it like they grabbed my spine out of my body."
Metta World Peace: "I do think it looks bad on TV. In the playoffs or the championship and somebody flops, there's money on the line. It's the NBA Finals, a new lady is watching and never saw basketball, she sees [flopping] and wonders, 'What is that?' She won't watch the game anymore."
Shane Battier: “Is there a flop czar?... I wonder if they’re going to hire some intern from Harvard who’s all into sabermetrics or an expert on physics and the law of gravity, and stick him in a room somewhere. I hope they give the offensive floppers the same treatment.”
Alvin Gentry: "I think that it's going to be something that's going to be very difficult to enforce. I don't know how it can be done, but I'm sure they'll find a way. I think anything to get it out of the game is going to be good -- it has gotten out of hand."
Erik Spoelstra: "I'm all on board for it. I think it needs to be addressed. I think the steps they're taking right now, I think will benefit the game. I do. It remains to be seen if it truly has an impact. But I think it's a step in the right direction. It's not good for the game; nobody likes the flop. A majority of coaches don't like the flop, particularly if you're trying to build a solid defense."
Dirk Nowitzki:"I never looked at myself as a big flopper. If you play me physical then, obviously, I got to sell the call and get to the (free-throw) line. That’s just part of the game. We’ll have to see how they enforce that. I think it’s a bunch of crap to be honest with you. Are they going to come back after a game and fine you for flopping? That’s tough to do to me."
Rasheed Wallace: "Hey, you all thought I was crazy for saying it over the last so-and-so years. I ain't even gonna get into it, but yes. They needed to bend on that."
Jared Dudley: "If I lose money, I'm calling (union executive director) Billy Hunter straight up. But you know what, if LeBron (James) and Kobe (Bryant) don't get fined the most, it's ridiculous, because out of everyone, even the Ginobili types, they have the ball in their hands 30-40 times a game and they flop all the time."
Kobe Bryant: "I like the rule. Shameless flopping, that's a chump move. We're familiar with it. Vlade (Divac) kind of pioneered it in that playoff series against Shaq, and it kind of worked for him."
Blake Griffin: "It's a good way for the NBA to get more money. I guess it's good in the sense that it stops any of that from happening but at the same time you're telling me if it's Game 7 of the NBA Finals and a guy has a chance to make a play, he's going to be like, 'Well, do I want this $10,000 or do I want a championship?' Do you know what I mean? It's one of those things that's after the fact and not going to win or lose games for anybody."
Vinny Del Negro: "It's going to be interesting to see how they view that from a league perspective. It's a rule and we're going to have to abide by that. If that's what the commissioner wants to do and the competition committee wants to do, we'll adhere to it. We're going to discuss that a little bit more later [with the team]. The rule came out today and we just played in a scrimmage so we'll talk about it. I don't really see any of our guys having issues with it, per se. It's going to be a feeling-out process for everybody, in terms of how you're going to handle certain things." More Del Negro: "I just think there's more cameras, more HD, there's social media networks and everything. There's just so much more coverage on things that it gets exposed a little bit more."
Caron Butler: "I don't think we have a flopping problem on this team. I don't watch a lot of other teams and I didn't have the luxury of watching other teams last year with the condensed schedule but over the years you see some calls and some plays that you say, 'He sold it.' If they got (a new rule) in place, it's probably better for the game."
Nick Collison: “We’ll see how it plays out, I’m not really sure how it’s going to work. I think it’s something the league feels like they need to do something about, but they’re not sure exactly the best way to do it. I guess, until I hear what the system is going to be and what exactly is going to define a flop, I don’t really know exactly what to say about it … Some of them you get pretty hard, others not as hard. So I’m definitely interested, curious to see how they regulate it.”
James Harden: “Good. It’s good. Guys can’t be flopping and getting away with it anymore. It was bound to happen at some point and obviously the league got fed up with it and put it in, so I’m happy they did it.”
George Karl: "I think commissioner made the right decision with new flopping rule. Now it's up to us as coaches and players to adjust."
Amar’e Stoudemire: "It takes out some of the acting on the court."
Kendrick Perkins: “I like (the rule). (Flopping) just takes away from the game, man. It’s one thing to take charges and put your body in the way like Nick does for our team all the time. I think he led the NBA in taking charges. That’s the sacrifice because a lot of guys won’t sacrifice their bodies to really get hit. You see guys who be flopping all the time and not really getting hit when you have guys who really taking hits who have bruised ribs and cracked ribs or whatever out there taking a punishment. You have guys out there flopping, it’s just bad for the game. Bad for the game and I’m glad we are finally making a stand on it."
Terry Stotts: "I think it's for the good of the game. The referees have a tough enough job refereeing a very difficult sport to referee. When the sole intent is to embarrass or show a referee up, I think that will make their job a little bit easier, and I think it's for the good of the game."
Nicolas Batum: "It's going to clean up the game a little bit. Everybody flops sometimes and if this cleans up the game, that's great."... “Every guy who plays in Europe. I flop sometimes. Well, I don't say I flop. Me, I exaggerate sometimes. I want it to stop though."
Wesley Matthews: "I just think it's going to be tough (to call). I don't know how they are going to do it. Even with video, you can still debate calls. But I like the idea of it. I like that it will be in player's minds."
Carlos Boozer: "Dwight (Howard) is going to love that rule. Most of the big men are pretty finesse but for us powerful guys like myself, Dwight, Zach Randolph, Blake Griffin, guys flop on us. To me, I think it helps our game. It’s almost like a bailout. They flop and the possession is over as opposed to playing defense. We don’t flop over here. We play D. If we take charges, it’s a real charge. There are some teams that live and die by the flop. I like the rule. It puts pressure on guys to play better defense."
Luis Scola: "It's a good weapon defensively for me and it has been very productive in order for me to be good on defense. I will try to see if I can continue to do it and then if the rules don't allow it, I will find some other way."
Danilo Gallinari: "I don't know why everybody just talks about European flopping. I don't know where this thing comes from. We flop as much as other players all around the world flop. I don't know why everybody keeps saying that Europeans are soft or Europeans flop. I don't know."
Mark Cuban: "Funny thing about flopping is that I'm seeing 300lb lineman in the NFL do it now. Bottom line for NBA is that it's a math problem."
Isaiah Thomas: "Wonder how new flopping rule is going to be!!! A lot of players r going 2 have 2 find a new GO TO move now"
Jalen Rose: "I appreciate rules vs. 'FLOPPING' but not the new penalties. Punishment should happen DURING game(personal/tech foul)"
Anderson Varejao: "I'm not flopping anymore. I used to flop a little bit."
........
Jared Dudley for going at Kobe and LeBron james
