Former NFL star slams James Harden’s flopping, says it is ‘tiring and old’

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Louis Riddick called out James Harden after another foul-hunting moment left him frustrated during the NBA playoffs.

The criticism stood out because it came from a former NFL player and ESPN analyst who made clear he still loves watching basketball.

That made the complaint sharper. Riddick was not attacking the sport, he was attacking a style of play he believes has become exhausting to watch.

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James Harden flopping slammed by Louis Riddick

As Louis Riddick wrote on X, he had no patience for Harden trying to sell contact and waiting for officials to reward it.

“James Harden flopping around on the ground like that after trying to con the refs into calling a foul is such an effing joke. It’s so bad,” Riddick tweeted.

He added, “As much as I love watching basketball, that s___ is so tiring and old.”

The post came during Cleveland’s playoff matchup with Detroit, where Harden’s foul-drawing style again became a talking point.

Harden has long been one of the NBA’s most effective players at creating contact and getting to the free-throw line.

But that skill has also made him one of the league’s most criticized stars when fans or analysts feel he is acting rather than playing through real contact.