Victor Wembanyama Issued an All-Star Challenge. Here's Why It May Not Work

LOS ANGELES — One year ago, Victor Wembanyama issued a challenge: The Frenchman, freshly 21, called some people out. Important people.

"My biggest takeaway," he said, responding to a question about his first NBA All-Star experience, "is that it's possible to give a 100 percent on that court. To play your a** off."

Wembanyama, joining a short list of players to be selected to the Rising Stars challenge and the All-Star game at the same time, had a bone to pick with effort. Specifically that of his coworkers, who had long used the All-Star Game as a chance to relax.

Leaving the court after Chuck's Global Stars — his team for the weekend — allowed Jayson Tatum a wide-open dunk at the rim to seal the contest proved his point.

The San Antonio Spurs star simply didn't understand why.

"Obviously, it hasn't been competitive," Wembanyama said ahead of the All-Star Break a season later. "I've always thought myself that, if I was in there, I'm never stepping on to the court to lose. Or not caring ... I’m thinking it’s (not) OK to lose."

Feb 16, 2025; San Francisco, CA, USA; Chuck's Global Stars forward Victor Wembanyama (1) of the San Antonio Spurs dunks against Kenny's Young Stars during the 2025 NBA All Star Game at Chase Center. | Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

Debating the competitiveness of the All-Star Game isn't foreign. During the years-long run of the classic East vs. West format, players on either side wanting to honor their respective conferences found ways to do so. But a different era necessitates different needs.

"We sell competition," NBA commissioner Adam Silver said last season, "and I think that our players recognize they’re not putting their best foot forward when there’s a sense that not (everyone is) all-in on playing an All-Star Game."

Silver, wanting to correct the shift in competition as the All-Star Game continued, opted for a blacktop approach in 2018. The top vote getter in each conference, on top of being a starter, became a team captain who then drafted his roster of starters and reserves.

Despite a six-year run under that format, the issue persisted.

"I think the only thing I would think about is shortening the game,"Curry said Saturday. "That might be the only real suggestion I would have just because it’s hard to replicate the intensity of a regular season game ... (but) a shorter game, maybe."

February 16, 2025; San Francisco, CA, USA; Shaq’s OGs guard Stephen Curry (30) of the Golden State Warriors celebrates with the MVP trophy after defeating Chuck’s Global Stars during the 2025 NBA All Star Game at Chase Center. | Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

Curry served as an All-Star captain next to LeBron James in the first year of that format. He was one of the only All-Stars to offer a suggestion, but praised the league for its efforts to "fix" the level of competition. Others denied the existence of a problem.

“I've been watching (past) All-Star Games and the intensity the older generation been talking about," Kevin Durant, a two-time captain said. "I don't know if I've seen it.”

Added Nikola Jokić: "I play every game the same ... I'm going to play how I play every year."

Several smaller changes have been implemented beyond the full format. Adding a target score to the fourth quarter in honor of Kobe Bryant seemed to work at first — notably when James iced the 2022 contest in Cleveland with a mid-range fadeaway.

Other times, the contest epitomized the essence of an All-Star showdown. 2021 saw a half court shootout between Curry and Damian Lillard while Giannis Antetokounmpo shot a perfect 16-of-16 from the field to take home the MVP.

“I’m just having fun,” Antetokounmpo said that night. “Sometimes, when you’re having fun and not thinking about the outcome, you just let your instincts take over.”

That instance provided perhaps one of the more successful outings in recent memory. But the product still lacked competition. It's what Silver mulled over during the league's return to the East vs. West format in 2024 while deciding on its next iteration.

Wembanyama, upset at the outcome of the All-Star Game last season, arrived in Los Angeles ready to bring the same fire he did last February.

The tourney-style format — this season featuring USA Stars, USA Stripes and Team World — lent itself toward increased competitiveness. But it's yet to produce a physical game; the question of whether it ever will bounced around Intuit Dome on Saturday.

"With the teams split up you don’t really know who you’re playing with or what the score is," Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard said. "I rather it just be East and West and just go out there and compete ... I don’t think a format can make you compete.”

Anthony Edwards had a blunt response to the overarching issue.

“It is what it is at this point," the Timberwolves star said. Asked if the format could replicate the intensity of The Olympics, he replied with a swift: "No."

Feb 18, 2024; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Western Conference guard Anthony Edwards (5) of the Minnesota Timberwolves shoots the ball during the first half of the 73rd NBA All Star game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. | Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

Durant has been the most vocal on the matter since before flying out West. In Houston, the 7-footer argued it wasn't the contingent of him, James, Curry, Lillard or Harden to blame for the All-Star decline. His finger was sharp as he pointed.

"If you look at Luka Dončić and Nikola Jokić, let's go back and look at what they do in the All-Star Game," Durant said. "Is that competition?"

Jokić's argument remains firm. Dončić, meanwhile, questioned why Durant called him out before pledging faith in the game's new look. Wembanyama joined him.

"It's more purposeful," Wembanyama said. "There's more pride in it. More stakes."

What might more intensity look like?

"Exclamation-point plays," Wembanyama explained. "Playing in a solid manner and sharing the ball with energy. If you share that energy, people feel like they have a responsibility to share it back to you. I'm confident in the way it's going to go."

Feb 14, 2026; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Team World forward Victor Wembanyama (1) of the San Antonio Spurs during a new conference for the NBA All Star game at Intuit Dome. | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Nuggets point guard Jamal Murray also hopped on the effort wagon, citing his prior appearances in exhibition-style games as proof. Suiting up for Team World alongside Jokić and Wembanyama, momentum could be brewing in favor of the challenger.

But not enough to spill secrets.

De'Aaron Fox, playing against his teammate for USA Stripes, made clear his priorities. If it came down to winning the All-Star Game or keeping Wembanyama's tactics a mystery for the second half of the season, he'd pick the former every time.

“I'm not telling them s***,” Fox said Saturday afternoon, laughing. “I don't want to win this game that bad where I'm going to give Vic's stuff away.”