Who Is The Biggest Flopper In The NBA?
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We all know that feeling when we see a player take a dive in the NBA. Some of them are so bad that it’s actually comical. But who is the biggest flopper in the NBA?
James Harden
In the NBA, a “flop” is an intentional fall by a player after a slight contact in an attempt to draw a personal foul call. And this season, no one has been better at it than Houston Rockets superstar James Harden.
2017-2018 season
In the 2017-2018 season, Houston Rockets shooting guard James Harden led the NBA in total flops with 18. He was followed by Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner and Los Angeles Clippers center DeAndre Jordan, who both had 14 flops each.
2016-2017 season
In the 2016-2017 season, James Harden led the NBA in both points and turnovers, while also finishing second in assists and steals. He was one of only two players to average at least 20 points, 5 assists, and 5 rebounds per game, and he did so while shooting a career-high 36% from three-point range. However, despite all of his success on the court, Harden was also widely regarded as the league’s biggest flopper.
Harden averaged 6.1 fouls per game, which was by far the most in the NBA. He also averaged 4.6 personal fouls per game, which was again the most in the NBA. Furthermore, Harden led the league in both technical fouls (17) and flagrant fouls (2). In total, Harden committed 128 personal fouls in the 2016-2017 season, which was 38 more than any other player in the league.
Although he is one of the best players in the NBA, James Harden’s reputation as a flopper has caused many fans to view him in a negative light.
Russell Westbrook
It’s no surprise that Russell Westbrook is the biggest flopper in the NBA. Westbrook is known for his athleticism, but he also has a history of embellishing contact to get calls from the refs. In the past, Westbrook has been fined for flopping, and it’s something that he’s been doing throughout his career.
2017-2018 season
Westbrook averaged a career-high 10.1 assists to go with 21.3 points and 11.0 rebounds per game, joining Oscar Robertson and Jerry Lucas as the only players in NBA history to average a triple-double for a season. He also set an NBA record for most triple-doubles in a season with 42, surpassing Robertson’s 41 in 1961–62. Westbrook became the first player in NBA history to accumulate more than 100 assists and 100 rebounds in back-to-back seasons, and just the fifth player ever to average a triple-double over multiple seasons. On April 11, 2018, Westbrook was named the NBA Most Valuable Player for 2017–18, becoming the second player after Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to win the award with averages of a triple-double.
2016-2017 season
In the 2016-2017 season, Russell Westbrook averaged a triple-double for the first time in 55 years. He also led the league in scoring and was named MVP. He is one of the most explosive and exciting players in the NBA.
However, Westbrook is also one of the biggest floppers in the NBA. He frequently exaggerates contact to draw fouls, and he is not afraid to flop to the ground to get a call. Some people have even called him “Russell Flopberg”.
While Westbrook is an incredible player, his tendency to flop takes away from his greatness. It’s unfortunate that such a talented player has to resort to such antics on the court.
DeAndre Jordan
In the last few years, Jordan has been notorious for flailing his arms and legs in an attempt to draw a foul, and it has been working. Last season, he averaged a league-leading 8.2 personal fouls per game, and this season he’s averaging 8.1. In fact, over the last two seasons, Jordan has averaged more personal fouls per game than any other player in the NBA.
2017-2018 season
Jordan had a total of 96 fakes in the regular season and playoffs combined, the most in the league. In the regular season, he had 30 fakes, tied for the second-most with Houston’s Clint Capela. Then in the postseason, he flopped six times in 13 playoff games.
2016-2017 season
In the 2016-2017 season, DeAndre Jordan was called for 109 fouls, which is the most in the NBA. He was also whistled for 44 shooting fouls, the second most in the NBA.
Blake Griffin
Some people in the NBA are great at drawing fouls and getting to the free throw line. Others, not so much. So who is the best at it? And who are the worst floppers in the NBA?
2017-2018 season
In the 2017-2018 season, Blake Griffin of the Detroit Pistons was widely considered to be the biggest flopper in the NBA. Opposing players and fans often accused him of exaggerating contact in order to draw fouls, and he was even given the nickname “Blake Floprison” by some. Griffin himself has denied flopping, saying that he simply tries to sell every call to the officials. Nevertheless, his reputation continues to precede him and he is often booed by opposing fans whenever he touches the ball.
2016-2017 season
In the 2016-2017 season, Blake Griffin of the Los Angeles Clippers was widely considered to be the biggest flopper in the NBA. In a game against the Houston Rockets, Griffin was fouled by Rockets’ center Clint Capela. However, instead of simply taking the foul, Griffin threw himself to the ground and rolled around in an attempt to sell the call to the referee. He was successful in getting the call, much to the ire of the Rockets’ players and fans.
Kyrie Irving
In the past year, Kyrie Irving has become known for something other than his basketball skills. He has become the biggest flop in the NBA. A flop is when a player falls to the ground after very little contact in order to get a foul called on the opposing player. Some people might say that Kyrie is just trying to get an advantage for his team, but the truth is that he is just a really bad actor.
2017-2018 season
In the 2017-2018 season, Kyrie Irving averaged 24.4 points per game, 5.1 assists per game, and 3.8 rebounds per game. He shot 47.8% from the field, 40.1% from three-point range, and 90.5% from the free throw line. He was named an All-Star for the fourth time in his career and was voted as a starter for the Eastern Conference All-Star team. Irving helped lead the Celtics to the Eastern Conference Finals, where they lost to the LeBron James-led Cleveland Cavaliers in seven games. For his efforts, Irving was named to the All-NBA Second Team.
2016-2017 season
During the 2016-2017 season, Kyrie Irving was the biggest flopper in the NBA. He averaged 6.8 flops per game, which is more than twice the average of any other player in the league.
