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Wembanyama, Paul DQ’d for not taking ‘valid’ shots in skills event

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SAN FRANCISCO — Team Cavs (Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley) bested Team Warriors (Draymond Green and Moses Moody) in the finals of the Kia Skills Challenge with a time of 1:00.03, but the event didn’t end without mild controversy.

Team Spurs (Chris Paul and Victor Wembanyama) thought it found a loophole in the rules in the obstacle course that features players speeding through stations with various passing and shooting drills. Instead, the duo found itself disqualified from the competition after the first round for failing to complete their sequence with three valid shot attempts.

Eschewing all shots but one (a Wembanyama dunk) in favor of concentrating on executing the passes, Paul and Wembanyama finished the opening round with a time of 47.9 seconds before officials disqualified the Spurs duo.

The opening-round drill consisted of a variety of passes, before the players reached a rack of balls to shoot. Instead of attempting to sink those balls, Team Spurs tossed them in the general direction of the basket without trying to connect. Their effort to speed up the finish to their opening round went for naught.

With the disqualification, Paul now has gone six times in the Skills Challenge without a win, and his six appearances are two more than any other player and twice as many as any player besides retired Spurs legend Tony Parker, per ESPN Research.

“We tried something that we thought could win to see if we had the best time,” said Paul, who pleaded Team Spurs’ case to officials in the aftermath of the disqualification.

Interestingly, Green mentioned that Wembanyama had asked multiple league officials before the competition about the legality of Team Spurs’ strategy of not taking shots.

“It definitely sucked to see them throwing the ball like that,” Green said. “What I will say is Wemby walked around the court asking everybody because they say make one or three attempts. So, Wemby said, ‘Oh, I can just get all three of them up there?’ So, he asked. He may not have asked the right people. But I will say in Wemby’s defense he asked a lot of people. I heard him ask five or six people.”

But according to Skills Challenge rules, players need to take a maximum three valid attempts and move on after a make or the three attempts.

“I mean, if the challenge lets us do that, there’s a loophole,” said Wembanyama, who said it was his idea to utilize Team Spurs’ non-shooting tactic. “It means we’re not a problem.”

ESPN

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NBA All-Star Saturday night is here.

The action in San Francisco starts 8 p.m. ET Saturday on TNT with the Skills Challenge before moving on to the 3-point Contest and then the Slam Dunk Contest.

The highlights of the evening should come from the duo seeking to threepeat in their respective events, but there’s nothing wrong with an out-of-nowhere brilliant performance that can shake expectations and give us something to remember by blocking a run at history.

Yahoo Sports senior writer Dan Devine has you covered if you need to catch up on the weekend’s key changes and anything else that’s going on.

There is no three-peat for two-time 3-point king Damian Lillard. The Milwaukee Bucks guard failed to make it out of the first round on Saturday as Buddy Hield, Tyler Herro and Darius Garland made it to the finals out of a field of eight participants.

There, Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro took home the crown, with a final-round score of 24 edge fellow finalist Buddy Hield, who finished with 23 points in front of his hometown Golden State crowd. Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland finished in third place.

24 PTS. TYLER HERRO SETS THE MARK TO BEAT 👀

Buddy Hield is next in #Starry3PT on TNT…. pic.twitter.com/YZY8ocN1tB

— NBA (@NBA) February 16, 2025

Here are the final scores:

Finals

Tyler Herro: 24

Buddy Hield: 23

Darius Garland: 17

First Round

Buddy Hield, Warriors: 31

Darius Garland, Cavs: 24

Tyler Herro, Heat: 19

Jalen Brunson, Knicks: 18

Damian Lillard, Bucks: 18

Cade Cunningham, Pistons: 16

Cam Johnson, Nets: 14

Norman Powell, Clippers: 14

Cavaliers duo Evan Mobley and Donovan Mitchell topped the Warriors tandem of Draymond Green and Moses Moody to win the Skills Challenge on Saturday night.

But, perhaps more interesting, the Spurs duo of Victor Wembanyama and Chris Paul was disqualified for not exactly acting in the spirit of the contest. Instead of taking shots during the shooting portion, they just tossed balls off the rack in an effort to gain a time advantage.

Skills challenge participants:

Team Cavs (Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley)

Team Rooks (Zaccharie Risacher, Alex Sarr)

Team Spurs (Chris Paul, Victor Wembanyama)

Team Warriors (Draymond Green, Moses Moody)

G League star Mac McClung will look to defend his slam-dunk title — and become the first to threepeat in the contest — against two high-flying rookies, Matas Buzelis and Stephon Castle, and second-year guard Andre Jackson Jr..

Here’s the full list of participants:

Matas Buzelis, Bulls

Stephon Castle, Spurs

Andre Jackson Jr., Bucks

Mac McClung, G League’s Osceola Magic

Mac McClung actually cleared the top of the car. For comparison, here’s Blake Griffin in 2011 simply jumping over the hood of a Kia. McClung starting strong in his three-peat bid.

RELEMBRANDO QUANDO BLAKE GRIFFIN PULOU UM KIA pic.twitter.com/gMwpE0a5fE

— Coast to Coast Brasil | NBA (@brasilcoast2) February 16, 2025

Yup, Mac McClung jumped a Kia in the dunk contest.

Mac McClung YOU ARE CRAZYYYYYYYpic.twitter.com/tASjuE7wv9

— Across The Cavs (@AcrossCavs) February 16, 2025

MAC MCCLUNG pic.twitter.com/fbvGmtWOOm

— Mike Zakarian (@MikeZakarian) February 16, 2025

Good Lord.

We’re off to an ominous start on the heels of the Vince highlights. Stephon Castle landed a nice dunk on his first try. But Matas Buzelis whiffed on multiple attempts and failed to land a dunk on his first try.

MATAS BUZELIS DISASTERCLASS INFRONT OF THE WHOLE WORLD 🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/5lWPyT7Aaq

— Drix (@DrixRMFC) February 16, 2025

CASTLE 360 VICIOUS WINDMILL

he received a score of 47.2 pic.twitter.com/edzsLk7Fkx

— WembyMuse (@Wemby_Muse) February 16, 2025

On the 25th anniversary of Vince Carter’s legendary victory in the dunk contest at Oracle Arena in Oakland, the NBA celebrated with a video segment at Chase Center in San Francisco before this year’s contestants took the court, showing each of his five dunks on the Jumbotron.

“I’m proud to be part of NBA dunk history,” said Carter.

Highlighting the greatest dunk performance ever before a bunch of players who are not as recognizable as Carter might not be the greatest idea. It could set us up for disappointment.

Case in point: Matas Buzelis missed all three of his attempts on his first dunk. Yikes.

Tyler Herro survived a late rally from Buddy Hield to win the 2025 3-Point Contest.

Herro scored 24 points in the deciding round, but Hield came close to toppling him with 23 points but missed his final shot on the final rack.

24 PTS. TYLER HERRO SETS THE MARK TO BEAT 👀

Buddy Hield is next in #Starry3PT on TNT…. pic.twitter.com/YZY8ocN1tB

— NBA (@NBA) February 16, 2025

Damian Lillard, the two-time defending champion of the 3-point contest, will not three-peat.

LIllard scored 18 points in his round, not enough to match Buddy Hield, Darius Garland or Tyler Herro, who advance to the finals of the competition.

The league will have a new 3-point champion, as none of them has won before.

Adam Silver addressed the media prior to Saturday’s All-Star festivities. Some highlights …

On the Luka Doncic trade: “I was surprised when I heard about the trade. I did not know that Luka was potentially a player that was about to be traded. That was news to me. I followed it like a fan from that standpoint. … In terms of anger in the fanbase, I’m empathetic. I understand it. …

“Whether or not history will ultimately judge this as a smart trade, the Mavericks did what they thought was in the best interest of their organization. I have absolutely no knowledge or belief there were any ulterior motives. There’s no doubt in my mind that the Dumont and Adelson families bought that team to keep it in Dallas. I have no doubt whatsoever that they’re committed to the long-term success of that franchise.”

On criticism about the amount of 3-pointers in the game: “I was listening to Steve Kerr interviewed by Bob Costas. I actually was eagerly awaiting his response on the state of 3-point shooting in this league. He was one of the all-time great 3-point shooters when he played, and, if anything, the 3-point revolution was led by the Golden State Warriors and Stephen Curry. His reaction was: ‘Do I think there’s too much 3-point shooting? Possibly, yes. Do I think the state of the game is great? Also yes. Is there a fix that comes to mind that would improve the game and potentially reduce the amount of 3-point shooting?’ There wasn’t one that he had to suggest. …

“One of the things we pay a lot of attention to at the league and through the Competition Committee is: To the extent we have more 3-point shooting, where are those shots coming from? They are not coming from under the basket. Roughly 50% of the points are still scored in that area. So what you’re seeing is a conversion from 2-pointers to 3-pointers, and often those longer shots do take more skill. …

“A long way of saying we’re paying a lot of attention to it. I’m never going to say there isn’t room for improvement. We’ll continue to look at it and study it, but I am happy with the state of the game right now.”

On TV ratings: “It’s almost more media these days instead of TV ratings. But I’ll begin with the state of our ratings right now as they are conventionally measured. They’re slightly down from last season. We had some weakness early in the season. We rebounded, and ratings are heading up right now. So I see that as very positive. And I will say, that’s compared to last year’s regular season, which were our highest ratings in four years. I actually think what was a somewhat negative story early in the season has now turned into a positive and trending upward.

“Having said that, we don’t just look exclusively at traditional TV ratings. One of the things we look a lot at is: How do you measure engagement? Engagement can be measured in many different ways. One is attendance. We came off last season the highest-recorded attendance in the history of the entire league. I look at engagement through social media, and many different platforms, expanding number of platforms all the time. From that standpoint, record popularity. …

“People are using screens more than ever, but there’s only so much time in the day. So if you’re on X or if you’re on Facebook or you’re on Instagram, whatever else, or on Reels, that’s time you might have otherwise been watching television. I think it’s incumbent on us then to reach our fans wherever they are. That kind of engagement is really important to us, as well. …

“I actually think it’s additive. I think we have a much better chance of moving young fans, in particular, to live games if they become engaged with various forms of our content, whether it’s things that our players are doing off the floor, music they love, fashion, or highlights.nBut I think what the challenge for the league is then, how do we move those viewers, those fans to live games? I think part of it is by being smarter in the way we go about creating a lot of that content.”

On the drama surrounding the Jimmy Butler trade and whether we will see more of it under the new collective bargaining agreement: “I’m not concerned that that will be the result of the new CBA. I actually think that what the CBA was designed to do, honestly, is to force teams to make difficult decisions. I think teams are still finding their way a bit through this new second apron and what it means. But for us it’s no secret that part of the design of that CBA and pushing down high-end spending was to create more parity in the league and to do a better job distributing our best players around the 30 teams. I think you’re seeing that to a certain extent already.

I’ll note, and I think new CBAs are always difficult to predict, I think it was only a few months ago when the conventional wisdom around the league seemed to be that we sort of spoiled the excitement around the trade deadline. That the day and age of these great trades at the deadline weren’t going to happen anymore. I think we just saw more players moved before the trade deadline than anytime in the history of the league.”

On the rescinded Mark Williams trade: “Charlotte has not filed a protest of any kind.”

Darius Garland set the 3-point contest pace to beat with 24 points in his first round.

Darius Garland setting the pace with 24 points 🔥#Starry3PT on TNT pic.twitter.com/MEo4C0eNdB

— NBA (@NBA) February 16, 2025

This year’s field includes two-time reigning 3-point champion, Damian Lillard, who is also among five 2025 All-Stars competing in the shootout. Lillard will look to become the third player in the contest’s history to threepeat, joining Larry Bird and Craig Hodges.

Here’s the full list of participants:

Jalen Brunson, Knicks

Cade Cunningham, Pistons

Darius Garland, Cavaliers

Tyler Herro, Heat

Buddy Hield, Warriors

Cam Johnson, Nets

Damian Lillard, Bucks

Norman Powell, Clippers

Cavs duo Evan Mobley and Donovan Mitchell topped the Warriors tandem of Draymond Green and Moses Moody to win the Skills Challenge on Saturday night.

And that makes sense because, after all, the Cleveland pair are All-Stars.

Cavs stay winning 💯 https://t.co/NBTLAE5u8c pic.twitter.com/Z3y0ESeBIB

— NBA (@NBA) February 16, 2025

“It was definitely cheating though” 🤣

Team Cavs caught up with @ALaForce before the final round of the NBA Skills Challenge 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/DlJnFhohdj

— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) February 16, 2025

In an ominous start to the evening, San Antonio Spurs teammates Victor Wembanyama and Chris Paul — the very first participants of the NBA’s festivities on the Saturday night of All-Star Weekend — were disqualified from the Skills Challenge for trying to circumnavigate the rules.

CP3 and Wemby have been disqualified from the Skills Challenge: pic.twitter.com/ospns4OO1Z

— Deadspin (@Deadspin) February 16, 2025

Instead of trying to make one of three attempts from the 3-point line and free-throw line, both Wembanyama and Paul tossed each ball into the air in rapid succession. There is no requirement to make a shot at every station, just to take the three shots. An attempt must be made, though.

“That’s fine,” Paul could be heard saying on the broadcast, as the news was broken to him.

“It was definitely cheating, though,” joked Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell, who won the competition alongside teammate Evan Mobley.

Afterwards, TNT attempted to interview Paul and Wembanyama, only to be told by a member of the NBA’s staff not to engage with the players. It was strange all around, overshadowing the first portion of the evening. Wembanyama is, after all, one reason why fans might watch this event.

With the NBA All-Star weekend ongoing, conversations about the league’s on-court product are once again at the forefront. Though interest and revenue in the NBA are growing, discussions around whether NBA games have stagnated hang over the league even as it tries to evolve its All-Star format.

On Saturday, Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green got candid about the state of the game. Green is set to compete in the Skills Challenge on Saturday night, paired with Warriors teammate Moses Moody.

When asked if he thought the NBA game was boring, Green was blunt. “Absolutely,” he said, via the Associated Press.

The four-time NBA champion referenced an interview where the late Kobe Bryant said that the game had become “accidental basketball.”

“He couldn’t have been more right,” Green said of Bryant’s comments.

Here’s the rest of what Draymond had to say.

With the frenzy of the 2025 NBA trade deadline now behind us, the attention of the NBA-watching world now shifts to the Bay Area for the high-octane basketball exhibition/convention/trade show that is 2025 All-Star Weekend. Here are a few things to keep an eye on as the league’s best and brightest strut their stuff across three days of basketball-adjacent endeavors, social-media brand activation opportunities and fresh-coat-of-painted tournament-style play.

Everything you need to know for All-Star Weekend.

Tyler Herro wins 3-point contest

Cavs duo wins skills challenge; Wemby, CP3 DQd

Slam Dunk Contest

Mac actually cleared the roof of the car

Mac McClung jumps a Kia in the dunk contest

Matas Buzelis whiffs

NBA hypes the Vince Carter dunk contest before this year’s competition

Tyler Herro wins 3-Point Contest

Damian Lillard will not three-peat as 3-point champion

Highlights from NBA commissioner Adam Silver’s press availability

Darius Garland sets early 3-point pace

NBA 3-point contest is up next

Evan Mobley and Donovan Mitchell win Skills Challenge

Victor Wembanyama, Chris Paul disqualified from Skills Challenge

Warriors’ Draymond Green says NBA on-court product has become ‘very boring’

NBA All-Star 2025: Will the new format work? Breaking down the weekend’s big questions

Victor Wembanyama thought he had a time-saving idea; the NBA DQ’ed him and Chris Paul anyway

San Antonio Spurs guard Chris Paul competes during the skills challenge at the NBA basketball All-Star Saturday night festivities Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Victor Wembanyama and Chris Paul made history on All-Star Saturday night.

The wrong type of history, that is.

The San Antonio teammates were disqualified from the Skills Challenge on All-Star Saturday night because their shot attempts during the event were not “valid,” as the rules required. And afterward, all everyone wanted to know was who came up with the plan.

“I did,” Wembanyama said. “I don’t regret it. I think it was a good idea.”

The challenge included bounce passes, chest passes, shots from three different locations on the floor and dribbling. On the shots — from the corner over an automated defender, near the top of the arc and at the elbow — players had to either make one or shoot three, whichever came first.

Wembanyama read the rules and determined that if he and Paul simply flipped the three shots from each location forward they would save a lot of time.

And they did. Their time in the first round was 47.9 seconds, easily the best. It just didn’t count after the NBA evidently thought their effort wasn’t in the spirit of taking “valid” shots, like the rules state.

“We had the best time,” Wembanyama said. “Numbers speak for themselves.”

It was a most unconventional approach, but Wembanyama didn’t surprise other competitors with his plan. Golden State’s Draymond Green, who paired up with Warriors teammate Moses Moody in the event, said Wembanyama asked people beforehand if his plan was acceptable.

“It definitely sucked to see them throwing the ball like that,” Green said. “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 and Moody lost to the Cleveland duo of Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley in the final of the skills event. Mitchell reacted by waving two-thumbs-down when Paul and Wembanyama finished, as some in the crowd booed.

“If they weren’t disqualified, I think we probably would have just did the same thing, to be honest with you,” Mitchell said. “Play to win, I guess.”

Mobley indicated that he had similar thinking as Wembanyama.

“I feel like my first round I tried to do a similar thing but made it look like a real shot,” Mobley said. “But that didn’t work really well, so I switched up my strategy.”

Paul also said Wembanyama asked about the strategy beforehand. He said he had a good time nonetheless.

“We tried something that we thought could win,” Paul said. “To see if we had the best time, so … it was fun.”

Green said Paul warmed up taking conventional shots, presumably before Wembanyama — a second-year player and the league’s reigning rookie of the year, who’ll play in his first All-Star Game on Sunday — presented his time-saving plan.

“The old man followed the rookie,” Green said, “right off the cliff.”

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

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