SAN FRANCISCO — Chris Paul has put together a Hall of Fame career without Hall of Fame athleticism, largely due to his relentless competitive nature and shrewd basketball mind. During Saturday night’s NBA Skills Challenge, however, Paul’s gamesmanship — along with that of teammate Victor Wembanyama — cost them dearly.
Team Spurs, comprised of Paul and Wemby, went first in the competition, and unveiled their strategy to cut down their time. After bounce passes and a chest pass through a moving target, both players were required to shoot a 3-pointer from the wing, a jumper from the elbow and a 3-pointer from the corner in front of a spinning windmill. After three missed attempts, players are allowed to advance to the next obstacle.
Wembanyama was the first to go, and when he got to his first 3-pointer, he simply tossed all three balls off the rack toward the rim without even looking. He did the same for the free throw and the corner 3-pointer, making it clear that he and Paul felt this strategy would cut down their time.
By the time Paul went, the crowd was hip to their strategy and started booing the lack of genuine effort. Paul is no stranger to getting booed, but this has to be the first time it’s ever happened during the Skills Challenge.
Shortly after their turn ended, it was announced that Team Spurs was disqualified for failing to make a