The act of exaggerating contact or feigning a foul to deceive referees is a contentious problem in skilled basketball. It includes a participant embellishing the impression of a minor collision, or creating the phantasm of contact the place none existed, with the intent of drawing a foul on an opponent. An instance features a participant evenly bumped on the arm recoiling dramatically and falling to the ground, hoping the official will understand a major infraction.
The prevalence of this conduct can affect sport outcomes and detract from the integrity of competitors. It introduces a component of gamesmanship that some view as strategic, whereas others contemplate it unsportsmanlike. Tracing its origins and figuring out a definitive “originator” is difficult, because the follow possible advanced regularly over time, with numerous gamers contributing to its prominence by means of repeated actions.