Jalen Brunson is trying to beat the flopper allegations.
The New York Knicks star Brunson appeared this week on Lou Williams’ podcast “The Underground Lounge.” During the episode, Brunson spoke out against those who accuse him of baiting referees into calling fouls by exaggerating minimal defensive contact.
“I play by the rules,” said Brunson. “I’m not a foul baiter. I just play by the rules. Be disciplined on defense. Don’t reach … Go look, go watch the film, I jump straight up.”
Here is the full clip of Brunson’s remarks.
Jalen Brunson believes he is not a foul baiter
— NBA Courtside (@NBA__Courtside) December 22, 2025
“I’m not a foul baiter. I just play by the rules. Be discipline on defense. Don’t reach”
(@undergrndlounge) pic.twitter.com/ijt6JIY8iJ
The two-time All-Star Brunson is one of the most adept players in the league at getting to the foul line and has averaged a whopping 13.4 free throw attempts per game since joining the Knicks in 2022 (including 13.7 per game this season). Many believe however that Brunson sells contact by throwing his head back or otherwise embellishing when he has the ball in his hands. In the recent past, Brunson has faced flopper accusations from both rival fans and opposing players alike.
That said, plenty of other star guards such as James Harden, Trae Young, Luka Doncic, and even reigning league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander have made a career out of finding shrewd ways to draw whistles. Unless the NBA rulebook changes drastically, Brunson is right that he simply operates within the parameters of what is allowed, especially as a smaller guard who needs to get crafty in order to score efficiently.
