T for a flop?

[Rufus]

10-3-6f - A player shall not commit an unsporting foul. This includes, but is not limited to, acts or conduct such as faking being fouled, knowingly attempting a free throw or accepting a foul to which the player is not entitled.

The penalty for any of the above is a player technical. My question is concerning the bolded section. Has anyone ever called a T for a flop/fake foul or is that about as common as a 10-second violation on free throws? What would cause you to even consider calling such a foul - if the shooter/ball handler was disadvantaged by the flop?

Got thinking about this recently and couldn't come up with a time that I would consider calling this even though it's a rule. It irks me that it hasn't occurred to me to call this and wonder if it's more prevalent than I think it is.

[Smitty]

I called it one time in an AAU tourney where the team whose girl was flopping was ahead by more than 50 points. I got her after she did it her 5th time. She fell backwards onto the floor with a good foot of space between the offensive player and herself. Coach asked what she did. I told him. He said "oh ok".

[Raymond]

Faking to be fouled is not limited to the defense flopping. Can also apply to a 3-point shooter continues to throw himself to the floor when he has not been contacted.

[Adam]

I've called it in a YMCA game. I had warned the kid and his coach. Then he was standing at the 3 pt line as the pg approached. He went flying backwards just as they were close enough for a closely guarded count.

Same coach, earlier that season, was baffled when I called a sub T as his team did a live ball line change.

[Toren]

I have yet to see one called in one of my games, goes without saying, i haven't called one.

There was a good video thread on a FIBA play where the referee doesn't hesitate to call a T for a flop. Might want to look that one up.

[APG]

Originally Posted by Toren

I have yet to see one called in one of my games, goes without saying, i haven't called one.

There was a good video thread on a FIBA play where the referee doesn't hesitate to call a T for a flop. Might want to look that one up.

Faking Being Fouled

[twocentsworth]

I would consider a T in a college game if a defender faked being hit in the head with an elbow. That is a very difficult play to officiate (especially w/out a monitor) & the consequences are steep (flagrant 1 = 2 shots + ball). There is no place in the game for faking in this play! A clear attempt to deceive probably would get a T from me (haven't had it yet....have to see how I react when it happens).

[Freddy]

Originally Posted by Rufus

. . . couldn't come up with a time that I would consider calling this even though it's a rule . . .

“Faking being Fouled” – When a Technical Really Needs to be Called
Have you ever had a player guilty of “faking being fouled”? Have you ever had a player “flop” with all the acting abilities of a broadway superstar? No illegal contact has taken place, yet a dramatic fall to the floor is theatrically executed? Defensive player sets up for a charge but, when the dribbler pulls up for a jumper instead, he falls backwards, acting as if he was fouled when he really wasn’t? Perhaps slight contact does occur on a play, but the player reacts as if hit in the chest by a cannon, begging for an illegitimate call?
Rule 10-3-6f clearly states that “faking being fouled” merits the issuance of a player technical foul. But is that the first choice in the official’s repertoire? Probably not.
This begs the question, under what circumstances and when should you for sure call a player technical for “faking being fouled”? Are there any other tactics to employ short of whacking him/her with a T? When might you have no choice?
Often the player illegitimately hitting the deck does so but takes himself out of the play for ensuing rebounding action or for participation in a transition the other way. In that case, he’s really penalized him/herself through the resulting inability to benefit his team on the following play. Here’s a situation where you may want to warn the player about his attempt to get a call in a deceiving fashion. That often solves the situation. Then again, the coach will probably also yell at the player to play better defense, which curbs a future similar incident of “faking being fouled.”
Other times, you may have warned a player to “knock it off”, but he/she doesn’t get the message and does it again. Any warning followed by non-compliance renders your warning step ineffective. Don’t give a T in this situation and you broadcast the message that you don’t really mean it when you issue a warning. Whack ‘em.
If a member of your crew has issued a warning on one end, be sure to be consistent and issue a warning at the other end if it occurs. You don’t want to whip out a T immediately on the other end after merely warning on the first occurrence by the other team.
What if you’ve warned both teams and yet a “faking being fouled” incident occurs in spite of that? Issue the player technical. They didn’t heed the warning, and that’s the only way the message will have any teeth.
Yet again, there might be a real issue of safety involved that means you’d serve the game best by calling a T the first time the “faking being fouled” happens. That’s when the player, though not fouled, or merely contacted to an insignificant extent, takes a dive and poses a danger to other players in the immediate area of the ensuing action. This happens. A player lobbies for a charge right in the middle of the lane, and after he goes down, players trip all over him in the rebounding action that follows the shot. That’s a safety issue. His/her actions posed a real threat to the welfare of the other players, even some of his/her own teammates. Then the issuance of a player technical wouldn’t be out of place. You have an expressed responsibility to protect all players from unnecessary risk of injury. Whack him/her. It probably won’t happen again the rest of the game.
Another situation might happen on a three-point attempt. It is very common for the defender to box out the shooter after the shot has been released. Sometimes the box out is really displacement, and the shooter hits the floor either before or after returning to the floor. When that happens, displacement must be called. But what if the shooter strategizes “faking being fouled”? No unreasonable illegal contact has occurred, but, begging for a foul, the player jumps backward, hits the floor, and complains (along with his/her coach) over the feigned contact? Decision time on your part. Effectively, the player has taken him/herself out of the ensuing play. Is that penalty enough? Quite possibly. If it happens over and over again, that’s against the spirit of the rules of the game. That’s deception. That’s not right. Especially if the coach has been made aware of a previous warning given, the player technical you feel is merited will not receive much protest. Some things just have to be.
“Faking being fouled” can be ignored, as when it’s an isolated incident. A warning can be due a single player or perhaps a team. It’s even possible that, with both teams trying the tactic, a warning be given to all players of both teams. But there are times when it can’t be ignored. And when it can’t, the rules give you a tool to use. Rule 10-3-6f.
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[Rufus]

Thanks to all and for the great article Freddie.