During the New York Knicks' championship run last season, coach John Calipari advised player Karl-Anthony Towns to stop flopping and instead drive to the basket to draw fouls.
Calipari, who coached Towns at Kentucky, told The Post in Las Vegas during Summer League that he observed Towns receiving criticism for offensive inefficiency and what appeared to be embellishment of contact. "He was a pro through everything," Calipari said of Towns.
"The only thing I did tell him – ‘They’re not calling fouls so quit flopping’,” Calipari recounted. “If you’re going to shoot it, they’re going to foul you. And they’re not calling it."
Calipari pointed to the Western Conference Finals between the Spurs and OKC as an example of the physicality and limited foul calls. "I’m watching the Spurs and OKC beat the s–t out of each other. No calls. And I said, ‘Look man, go for and-ones, and if they don’t foul you, at least you’ll make the basket. Flopping ain’t helping.’"
The strategic adjustment for Towns reportedly occurred after the Knicks trailed the Hawks 2-1 in the first round of the playoffs. Following this, the team went on to win 14 of their next 15 games, securing a championship title after a 53-year drought. During this period, Towns significantly increased his offensive output, becoming a triple-double threat.