James Harden‘s time with the Philadelphia 76ers alongside Joel Embiid has been surrounded by controversies. He stepped into the spotlight when he openly asked for a trade and made controversial remarks about the 76ers GM. Shortly after, rumors began circulating about Embiid’s desire to join a team with stronger championship prospects. This request made fans wonder if the former Rockets star had a bad influence on the 2023 NBA MVP.

Unfortunately, there is one more common detail between the former teammates, something which the NBA has taken into consideration to penalize the acts. But only 3 months after the announcement, a Dallas star has asked for similar implementations in the WNBA as well.

A Dallas Wings star calls for change in the WNBA

In professional basketball, few things generate as much debate and discussion as the topic of flopping. It’s an age-old unethical practice where players resort to theatrical exaggerations of contact to influence fouls or referees’ decisions. The NBA, recognizing the issue, implemented new rules to curb flopping, and their effects were quickly evident.

Notably, stars like Harden and Embiid found themselves in the spotlight for their flopping antics. Now, as the NBA observes the effectiveness of these rules, a rising 25-year-old star from the Dallas Wings, Satou Sabally, is advocating a similar implementation in the women’s league.

Satou Sabally has taken a stand against flopping in the WNBA. In a recent interview with her former Oregon teammate Haley Jones for ‘The Players Tribune,’ Sabally spoke quite frankly when asked about her biggest basketball pet peeve. Without hesitation, she singled out ‘flopping’ as her major concern.

Her remarkable forthrightness on this matter stands out, especially since some prominent players employ flopping as a strategy. Sabally’s call for change doesn’t stop at mere criticism; she went further by suggesting that players should be fined for engaging in flopping.

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She explicitly said, “They should start [putting fines] on people for flopping.” Her stance stresses the need for consistent enforcement of rules and ethical play in the WNBA, mirroring the recent efforts in the NBA.

The NBA’s battle against flopping

The NBA has struggled for a long time to stop flopping. Exaggerating contact to obtain an advantage in a game not only messes up the play but also calls into question fair play and sportsmanship. Fans, athletes and coaches, all find the practice to be frustrating. The NBA responded by enacting a new regulation that targets flopping during games.

This rule states that if a player engages in physical activity with the intent to foul another player by flopping, the referees of the game may call a non-unsportsmanlike technical foul. This technical foul results in one free throw being given to the other team, but it does not result in ejection.

This makes it abundantly apparent that flopping will not be tolerated, and players will face consequences. The new regulation puts the players who are known for their flopping skills like Harden, Embiid and Luka Doncic on alert.

The introduction of in-game penalties for flopping represents a significant step forward in addressing this issue. It complements the league’s existing practice of reviewing dubious plays and assessing fines on a post-game basis. Notably, this move aims to deter players from flopping, ultimately enhancing the game’s integrity and fairness.

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The 2023-24 season will showcase how fruitful the implementation is, and maybe the WNBA will follow suit as well. What is your take on the new flopping regulations? Let us know in the comments below!