Sacramento Kings guard Buddy Hield isn't taking the flopping warning he recently received from the NBA too seriously.
On Friday afternoon, the NBA Official Twitter account announced that the Kings wing is being formally warned for violating the league's anti-flopping rule during Thursday night's first-half finale against the Portland Trail Blazers.
Hield took to Twitter to express his “outrage” over the latest warning from the league, though it's highly possible that he's well-aware of his guilt and is jokingly rebutting the warning.
On Thursday night, moments before a Damian Lillard free-throw attempt to put the Portland Trail Blazers up by four points over Sacramento with 2.7 seconds remaining, Blazers forward Carmelo Anthony jogged up to Hield and gently nudged the guard, who was standing on the right wing, just outside the three-point line.
Buddy Hield got a warning from the NBA for violating the anti-flopping rule in the Kings' game against the Blazers 👀
He tried selling it after that Melo nudge 🤷♂️ pic.twitter.com/ma2aXCN97o
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) March 5, 2021
Hield obviously sold the push, and theatrically threw himself onto the ground. In fact, the flop was so glaring, it looked like the entire interaction between him and Anthony was in jest. According to Hield's possibly-sarcastic response, he claims he was legitimately pushed by Melo.
Yall wilding he push me😂
— Buddy Love !!!! (@buddyhield) March 5, 2021
Regardless of intent, the NBA apparently didn't find his physical comedy particularly funny, and nor did the nearest referee, Tyler Ford, who was decidedly not sold on Hield's egregious flop. Here's another angle:
FLOP!Yo, @buddyhield, WYD?🤣 pic.twitter.com/ViZi6FnkRm
— NBC Sports Northwest (@NBCSNorthwest) March 5, 2021
If you're curious, the league's official anti-flopping policy defines a flop as an “attempt to either fool referees into calling undeserved fouls or fool fans into thinking the referees missed a foul call by exaggerating the effect of contact with an opposing player.”
Hield's move certainly qualifies as a violation, though he was seemingly exaggerating in a long-shot attempt to earn a whistle and keep his team in the game in the final seconds.
In the end, the Blazers won 123-119, handing the Kings (14-22) their eighth loss in 10 games. Hield scored 21 points on 8-of-17 shooting, including 5-of-12 from three-point range.
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