Shane Battier is known primarily as an ace defender and deft shooter of corner threes. Last postseason, thanks to accusations by Pacers coach Frank Vogel, Battier also got the "flopper" tag hung on him. Given that the NBA has introduced a flop policy including escalating fines and potentially deeper penalties, Battier is worried.
Shane Battier is paranoid, fears flopper profiling
The Heat defensive specialist worries that his reputation will lead to him being unfairly targeted by the league’s new flop policy. But if he’s not a flopper, why is he so worried?
Steve Mitchell-US PRESSWIRE - Presswire
Not because he actually flops, of course.
“Listen, I don’t flop like a lot of these guys,” Battier said. “I know a lot of people say I flop, but I’m too old for that.”
Then, after a few minutes of bantering, Battier will tell you he’s “wholeheartedly against” the NBA’s new “anti-flopping” rule.
“Reputation may play a big role in it,” Battier said.
This would absolutely be a valid concern from Battier if on-court officials ran the anti-flopping crusade, given the way that refs deal with technical fouls. But given that league officials in New York will be reviewing each potential flop violation, I think anyone with an unfair reputation will get a fair shake at first.
But reputation will almost assuredly play a part once the league’s reviewers find a player committing multiple infractions. If you commit two fine-worthy flops early in the season, it’d be silly for the league to not review you closely from there on out if the NBA really wants to minimize or eliminate flopping.
If Battier doesn’t really flop, he shouldn’t have much to worry about. I doubt the NBA is going to dole out fines based on reputation if the video doesn’t clearly show a flop. Maybe the league will look more closely at those with floppy reputations to start off the campaign, but again: if you aren’t flopping, why fret?
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