5 NBA stars whose foul shooting has been impacted by rule changes in the 2021-22 season

The NBA has implemented rule changes this season that essentially prohibit players from creating fouls vs. opposition with "overt, abrupt or abnormal non-basketball moves." Players have complained, NBA fans have not, and foul shooting is down across the board. Stars that use a player's physicality against them just aren't camping at the line like in previous years. If this holds up, scoring will go down, and more defense will be the result. If players can't create foul shot opportunities, defenses will begin to clamp down on players because they know refs will not call the fouls they have in the past that gives the advantage to the offense.

Yes! Defense is back...

Or is it?

Let's check it out.

Fantasy sports across the board have changed the way fans view professional sports. Armchair quarterbacks across the sports globe put a painstaking amount of time into researching and drafting teams that will score the most points vs. the same as their peers. Competition heats up as fantasy league seasons near the playoffs, and with this dedication to winning cash prizes, does the love of the games fans grew up watching still exist or is it more about personal financial gain?

So lets examine five players who I thought were to be most affected by the NBA clamping down on offensive advantages.

#5 Luka Doncic

The preseason consensus pick for NBA MVP, Luka Doncic's numbers are down. Luka Doncic is a crafty talent that gets to spots in a methodical motion defenders have difficulty guarding. Just ask Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. Luka's 2021-22 numbers after five games: 22.4 points a game - which is down from 27.7. He's down almost a full field goal make a game from last season, is shooting 41% vs. 47% from the field, and an abysmal 25% from the arc. Luka is shooting an effective field goal percentage of 46% - which is the worst since his rookie season - and attempting 3.4 foul shots as opposed to 5.2 last season.

#4 Trae Young

Trae Young's numbers are interesting. While he is up in makes a game (9.2 vs. 7.7) this year vs. last, and making 44% of his shots vs. 43% of last year, he's also down in three point attempts (5.4 vs. 6.3), eFG% (48% vs. 49%), foul shots a game (4.2 vs. 7.7) and scoring average (24.2 vs. 25.3). Trae Young has complained to the NBA and whoever wants to listen about the lack of calls. He is so frustrated despite his public reaction that he bumped a ref (fined 15k) in a double-digit loss to the Washington Wizards. Trae did that just to let him know directly what he's thought of the NBA officiating - or, as he probably would say, a lack thereof.

#3 James Harden

El Chapo could be an NBA anomaly here considering he isn't in his best shape as his hamstring heals, yet his numbers are down as well, similar to Young and Doncic. He's making a full two less field goals a game (5.5 vs. 7.8) than last season for 37% shooting. His NBA three-point attempts and makes are the same as last season, yet the striking difference is his 2pt field goal pct. (38% vs. 55%) eFG% (46% vs. 55%). James Harden is down in free throw makes (5.0 vs. 6.3) and attempts (5.7 vs. 7.3) and scoring average (18.7 points a game vs. 24.6).

#2 Damian Lillard

Goodness Dame. Damian Lillard might be the most affected by the rules changes. He's having a bad time of it shooting the rock and all of his numbers are down as well. His eFG% is 43% vs. 55% of last season, his 6.6 makes vs. 17.8 attempts are off from last year (9.0 vs. 19.9), 37% shooting vs. 45%, 4.0 free throw tries vs. 7.2. Dame will be subtlely direct in his protest at the rule changes. He is a winner that wants to win big, and if his offensive output is affected, the Portland Trailblazers won't win. By comparison, CJ McCollum's numbers are similar to last season's with the exception of free throw attempts (1.8 vs. 2.3), so it appears certain players are targeted because of past launches of themselves into defenders to attract foul calls.

#1 LeBron James

LeBron James has been a consistent 50% shooter in his 19 NBA years, yet early this season, he's shooting 46% vs. 51% of last season. Most of his numbers are just slightly off from last season, and it may be that LeBron James is getting the superstar calls since he's the NBA's main draw. Yet as the season progresses and players continue to express disagreement with the NBA's newfound offensive morality, will he be the mouthpiece for the players to get this all back to center?

I noticed that every player mentioned has an improved free throw percentage early on, and that shows scorers get it any way they can.

Since the NBA is looking to clean up the game offensively as the numbers get out of hand, will the NBA also crack down on charge calls? Are basketball coaches at the youth level teaching kids how to move their feet defensively, so instead of picking up a charge as a goal, better defense is the focus?

Please make this happen, Adam Silver. The charging call is stunting the NBA's athleticism at the rim. Send an edict down to coaches across the land to focus on teaching the art of playing defense, and maybe the disrupting charge call will no longer exist as the game matures into the future.