Tyrese Haliburton Discusses NBA Flopping Culture

Tyrese Haliburton, a star player for the Pacers, recently shared his thoughts on the ongoing conversation about flopping in the NBA during an episode of “The Pat McAfee Show.” He asserted that it is “certainly” a part of the game that is being taught.

While Shai Gilgeous-Alexander from the Thunder has drawn attention for his ability to exaggerate contact for fouls, Haliburton pointed out that the issue runs deeper than just one player.

“It’s definitely taught. I think it’s less about the head coach instructing it and more about player development,” he explained on the ESPN show. “You kind of work on it even before you hit the NBA. The best scorers often get to the free-throw line more, and that’s definitely a skill they practice—how to draw fouls—even in pick-up games. It’s just part of the game now.”

He also noted that concerns over flopping continue to be a topic of interest in the league. For example, according to analysis by Tom Haberstroh from Yahoo Sports, Gilgeous-Alexander flops 51.4 percent of the time when he draws a foul.

Haliburton mentioned, “There’s often more of a theatrical element than an actual fall, but it does happen, and people talk about it.” His remarks came as part of a broader discussion on the show, as several players reflected on the phenomenon of flopping.

In a prior appearance on ESPN, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver commented on the issue, distinguishing between players trying to highlight contact to earn fouls and those who seek to mislead the referees. “I can be in the stands and see a player go down or react to a call,” Silver noted, adding that as long as players aren’t deceiving referees, it’s acceptable. He concluded, “Players these days are taught to sell calls.”