By Patrick Hayes

Former Detroit Country Day star Shane Battier has carved out a good NBA niche for himself over the years by relying on his intelligence as much as his athletic ability to become one of the league’s better perimeter defenders. And yes, sometimes with that reputation came accusations that Battier has a tendency to flop in an effort to goad officials into foul calls. The NBA is reportedly going to start fining players who blatantly flop during games, and Battier discussed that stance with Ethan J. Skolnick of the Palm Beach Post:

Battier said he hoped the league pays as much mind to the flopping that offensive players do, as that defensive players supposedly do.

“Flopping is a problem,” Battier said, smiling. “Flopping is the silent killer.”

Battier said his fear is that — with enough calls to review already — “they’re going to find some fresh Harvard business school intern in the league office to be the flop reviewer, the flop czar, fresh out of HBS, and his or her highest level of basketball will probably be intramural. And they are making some potentially lucrative financial decisions.”

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