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NBA players have long resorted to questionable tactics in an attempt to draw a foul, but it’s become an increasingly hot topic of conversation in recent years thanks to big names who’ve earned a reputation for being free-throw merchants. Shai-Gilgeous Alexander has been painted as one of the biggest offenders, and he’s inspired a custom version of the board game Operation that’s been endorsed by Dillon Brooks.
Professional athletes tend to be ruthlessly competitive creatures who will do everything in their power to win, and it’s hard to blame them for attempting to exploit the rules if it has the potential to shift momentum in their favor.
It’s no secret that the best players in the NBA have historically received preferential treatment from the refs, but it was easier to downplay that phenomenon when the league was willing to tolerate a fair amount of physicality (including the era where the Pistons tried to shut down Michael Jordan with a strategy that essentially boiled down to “beat him into submission”).
However, the current rulebook is designed to promote offense at the expense of the defensive players who rarely get the benefit of the doubt when it appears contact has been initiated, which has led to the rise of what is commonly referred to as “unethical basketball.”
That term is used to refer to hoopers who are known for channeling their inner soccer player by routinely flopping and flailing in the hopes of earning a trip to the free-throw line.
James Harden and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander are among the first names that spring to mind when it comes to the most egregious cases, and that second man has inspired his very own board game thanks to his antics.
Dillon Brooks gave his seal of approval to an “Unethical Hoops” board game inspired by “Operation” and used to mock Shai-Gilgeous Alexander
Victor Wembanyama declined to name names when he trumpeted the brand of “ethical basketball” he says he and the Spurs pride themselves on in December, but San Antonio is currently engaged in a playoff series with a team led by one of the biggest offenders in the form of SGA.
Dillon Brooks was more than happy to call out the Thunder star for flopping in the first round of the playoffs, and he has firmed up his reputation as one of the best villains in the NBA by throwing his support behind an Operation-inspired board game that’s been dubbed “Unethical Hoops.”
The game in question was whipped up by Underdog Fantasy and swaps out a naked fat guy for a drawing of SGA on a modified playing surface where players are tasked with fishing tiny basketballs out of slots dedicated to foul-baiting tactics like “Head Snap,” “Leg Kick,” and “Phantom Contact.”
Underdog produced 100 copies of the game for a giveaway, and if you want to get your hands on one, you can follow the instructions on the website for it.