"Queen lunged in response. Harper wasn't having it. As the Pelicans' rookie reached out to shove Harper with his left arm, the Spurs' guard grabbed it with a look of disgust on his face and slammed it down, just as the ball was tossed, showing a competitive fire rarely seen at All-Star festivities -- ignited by Wembanyama's approach to the events in Los Angeles."
"A Spurs staffer joked later that Harper and teammates Stephon Castle and Carter Bryant -- all Rising Stars participants -- felt the Frenchman's energy on the flight to Los Angeles and reacted accordingly. Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards responded to Wembanyama's intensity as well, saying the two-time All-Star " set the tone" for an All-Star Game that was the most competitive it had been in years."
Victor Wembanyama aged out of the Rising Stars competition but exerted a significant, competitive influence on All-Star weekend. His intensity energized Spurs players and opponents, sparking physical altercations and a more competitive All-Star Game. Dylan Harper engaged in a shoving match with Derik Queen, and Harper responded by slamming Queen's arm down at tipoff. Teammates and opponents said Wembanyama 'set the tone' for heightened competitiveness. Wembanyama emphasized that he refuses to play to lose and intends to play to win. The Spurs aim to carry that mentality through the final 27 games while pursuing the franchise's first postseason berth since 2019, resuming with a 121-94 win in Austin.
Read at ESPN.com
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