Victor Wembanyama and Chris Paul had high hopes for claiming victory in the NBA All-Star Skills Challenge, but their strategy backfired spectacularly. The duo from the San Antonio Spurs was disqualified from the competition after attempting to skip the shooting requirements, leading to immediate backlash from fans in attendance.
The controversy erupted when Wembanyama and Paul, instead of taking legitimate shot attempts at each designated station, simply tossed the balls from the racks without making a real effort to score. The crowd at the event quickly noticed their approach and responded with loud boos. Officials wasted no time in disqualifying them, bringing their challenge to an abrupt end.
Understanding the Skills Challenge rules
According to ESPN Research, the Skills Challenge requires players to complete shots from three different locations in sequential order. Participants must either make a shot to advance or take three valid attempts before moving on to the next station.
By ignoring these requirements and trying to fast-track their way through the course, Wembanyama and Paul found themselves out of the competition almost as quickly as they had entered.
Another tough loss for Chris Paul
With this disqualification, Chris Paul has now competed in the Skills Challenge six times without a single win. According to ESPN Research, his six appearances are the most in history, double that of any other player besides Spurs legend Tony Parker.
Meanwhile, the Cleveland duo of Evan Mobley and Donovan Mitchell capitalized on the situation, ultimately winning the competition after outpacing Golden State’s Moses Moody and Draymond Green in the final round. Mobley and Mitchell completed the course in just 1 minute, 0.3 seconds, securing the victory with their sharp shooting.
Moody had performed well in the first round, but Green struggled with chest passes and three-point shots, failing to reach the final stations before the time expired. The rookie team of Zaccharie Risacher and Alex Sarr also fell short in the first round, missing the cutoff time by just 1.2 seconds.
While Wembanyama’s first All-Star Weekend continues to generate headlines, his unconventional attempt to cheat the Skills Challenge system is a moment he and Paul would likely prefer to forget.
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