Two Spurs selected to compete in NBA Skills Challenge

Things are looking up for the San Antonio Spurs, to say the least. The team is progressing positively with the continuous development of their star player, Victor Wembanyama, and are poised for a breakthrough following the trade for De'Aaron Fox. Despite a few tough losses over the weekend, exciting times are ahead for this team.

Amid the chaos of the NBA trade deadline and with the arrival of Fox, Wemby and point guard Chris Paul made headlines of their own. They were recently announced as participants for the NBA All-Star Weekend's Saturday events. Senior NBA insider Chris Haynes recently reported that the duo will participate in the 2025 Kia Skills Challenge together.

Paul is no stranger to this event, having appeared in the challenge five times (lastly in 2021), the most of any player. Names like Steve Nash, Dwyane Wade, and Damian Lillard are just behind Paul in skills challenge trips, but there is one big difference between Paul and the other all-time greats. CP3 has yet to win this event, while Nash, Wade, and Lillard have each won twice. CP3's lack of success in this event is one of the main reasons you can be sure that he is coming in looking to win this year.

Wemby and CP3 look to steal the show at the skills challenge

Wembanyama participated in a skills challenge during his historic rookie season in 2024, representing Team "top picks" alongside Anthony Edwards and Paolo Banchero. The trio was quickly eliminated from the contest because Edwards did not take the challenge seriously. During the challenge, Edwards was sluggish and occasionally attempted shots with his off-hand during the timed circuit. To the dismay of his partners, Edwards' antics led the trio to finish with the worst time in the challenge, resulting in their elimination after the first round.

This time, Wembanyama will look to bounce back, especially with his favorite point guard alongside him, which should give both players an advantage. The two have played well together, with Paul currently ranking seventh in the NBA with 8.2 assists per game and Wemby 14th in points per game with 24.6.

The rest of the skills challenge participants were unveiled this past Friday. Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley will form "Team Cavs," while Draymond Green and Moses Moody comprise "Team Warriors." Finally, rookies Zaccharie Risacher and Alex Sarr form "Team Rooks," the same team Wemby was part of last year.

Though each team is a talented duo, Wemby and Paul stand out as the clear favorites in the field for two reasons. First, both players have a strong competitive drive, which gives them an advantage in most situations. This competitive edge tips the scale in their favor. Additionally, Paul's wizardry on the floor and Wemby's remarkable versatility are well-suited for an event that tests a player's quickness, basketball IQ, and reaction time.

The Spurs' duo should be the favorite to win

It will be interesting to see the exact format for the contest in 2025. Over the last decade, there have been multiple formats for this challenge. Some years, it has been every player for themselves, while in other years, the field was divided into various teams, all aiming to complete the course in a timely manner. Regardless of the challenge format, given Paul’s history in the event, Wemby’s desire for more standout moments, and their chemistry together, this will be a must-see event for Spurs fans.

The Spurs family is a part of All-Star weekend after a long absence from the mid-season events. Simply put, 2025 marks a turning point for the young team. Aside from Paul and Wembanyama's matchup in the skills challenge, rookie phenom Stephon Castle will participate in the Castrol Rising Stars tournament and the AT&T Slam Dunk Contest. Wembanyama concludes the Spurs-filled weekend by debuting as a reserve in the NBA All-Star Game.

The Spurs deserve to be part of the mid-season fun. As they enter a new era as a franchise, the 2025 All-Star Weekend represents a well-deserved opportunity for increased exposure. With players like Paul, Wemby and Castle, Spurs fans will be on the edge of their seats during the festivities. Even better, each of these players has a genuine chance to bring home some hardware when it is all said and done.