Before the 2025 NBA All-Star Game, San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama made it clear that he intended to compete with full intensity.

Chris Paul and Victor Wembanyama (Photo by Kyle Terada/Imagn Images)
However, when it came to the 2025 NBA Skills Challenge, Wembanyama and his veteran teammate Chris Paul took a different approach that ultimately led to their disqualification.

During the Skills Challenge, Wembanyama and Paul attempted to bend the rules by taking an unorthodox shortcut. Instead of properly attempting shots, the duo chose to empty the rack of basketballs carelessly.

Their tactics surely failed to entertain the crowd or demonstrate their skills. The officials were quick to penalize them, which led to their immediate disqualification. What made the situation even more controversial was that both Wembanyama and Paul were barred from speaking to TNT sideline reporter Allie LaForce after their exit.

Fans on social media wasted no time in criticizing Wembanyama and Paul for their attempt to “hack” the Skills Challenge. Some pointed fingers at Chris Paul, suggesting that the veteran guard was the mastermind behind the tactic.

Draymond Green Defends Wembanyama For His Blunder In The 2025 NBA Skills Challenge

The controversy surrounding Victor Wembanyama and Chris Paul’s disqualification from the 2025 NBA Skills Challenge has become one of the most debated topics of All-Star Weekend. Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green weighed in on the controversy. He suggested that Wembanyama may not have intentionally tried to break the rules.

“It definitely sucked to see them throwing the ball like that. But what I will say is Wemby walked around the court asking everybody, ‘Make one or three attempts?’ And Wemby said, ‘Oh, so I can get all three of them up there?’ So, he asked. Now, he may not have asked the right people. But I will say, in Wemby’s defense, he did ask a lot of people,” Green said.

Wembanyama himself later admitted that the idea was his. Brett Siegel even reported that Paul was furious over how the situation had unfolded.