Inside The Spurs

Chris Paul Breaks Silence on All-Star Skills Challenge Ejection

Chris Paul and Victor Wembanyama deployed an ill-advised strategy in the NBA's Skill Challenge at All-Star weekend

Matt Guzman

Feb 15, 2025; San Francisco, CA, USA; Team Spurs guard Chris Paul (3) of the San Antonio Spurs competes in the skills challenge during All Star Saturday Night ahead of the 2025 NBA All Star Game at Chase Center.
Feb 15, 2025; San Francisco, CA, USA; Team Spurs guard Chris Paul (3) of the San Antonio Spurs competes in the skills challenge during All Star Saturday Night ahead of the 2025 NBA All Star Game at Chase Center. / Kyle Terada-Imagn Images
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Initially, it seemed as if Chris Paul wasn't going to explain himself.

After he took the floor on Night 2 of All-Star Weekend alongside Victor Wembanyama for the NBA Skills Challenge — a medley of passing, shooting, and agility drills resembling an obstacle course — he and his teammate left empty-handed. Worse, actually.

The pair, opting to forgo genuine shots at each of the demarcated areas on both ends of the court to preserve time, was disqualified. According to the rules, "three valid shot attempts" were required, and while both Paul and Wembanyama tossed each basketball in the vicinity of the rim, their loophole wasn't well received.

The result? A shower of boos from the onlooking crowd at Oracle Arena and perhaps the performance of the night; the winning Cleveland Cavaliers squad featuring Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley seemed to take a backseat to San Antonio's antics.

Wembanyama explained that, contrary to popular belief, it was his idea to test the rules. Paul simply went along.

"We tried something that we thought we could win," Paul said. "To see if we (could have) the best time. It was fun."

Ironically, the pair did log the quickest time. And the rules never explicitly stated that faux shot attempts weren't allowed, though they're likely to now.

Either way, Wembanyama is now 0-for-2 in Skills Challenges. If he decides to make one more run at it next season — rule-bending or not — he'll be the first one hoping for that to change.

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Matt Guzman
MATT GUZMAN

Matt Guzman is a sports journalist and storyteller from Austin, Texas. He serves as a credentialed reporter and site manager for San Antonio Spurs On SI and a staff writer for multiple collegiate sites in the same network. In the world of professional sports, he is a firm believer that athletes are people, too, and intends to tell stories of players and teams’ true, behind-the-scenes character that otherwise would not be seen through strong narrative writing, hooking ledes and passionate words.

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