Victor Wembanyama delivered a emphatic response to Draymond Green's physicality and trash talk with a powerful alley-oop dunk during the San Antonio Spurs' 109-108 loss to the Golden State Warriors on Friday night. The play, which was waved off due to a foul, highlighted the tension between the two big men in an NBA Cup matchup. Stephen Curry's 49 points powered the Warriors to their second straight win over the Spurs.
The Golden State Warriors edged out the San Antonio Spurs 109-108 in a tense NBA Cup game on November 15, 2025, in San Antonio. The matchup featured heated exchanges between Warriors forward Draymond Green and Spurs center Victor Wembanyama. Early in the fourth quarter, ahead of an inbounds play, Green jawed at Wembanyama and pushed him around. Wembanyama quickly retaliated by catching a lob and dunking forcefully over Green, screaming in his face as the crowd erupted. The basket did not count, as officials called a foul on Green prior to the play.
Wembanyama, who finished with 26 points and 12 rebounds, addressed the moment postgame. "I was not trying to prove anything to anybody, it's just, at some point -- just like anybody, if somebody speaks to you a certain way, you have to respond a certain way," Wembanyama said. "That's just how it is." When asked if he enjoyed the exchange, noting Green's apparent appreciation for the back-and-forth, he replied, "Did I enjoy it? Good question. I don't know, I'm not enjoying it now."
Green, who recorded a team-high eight assists, praised Wembanyama's response. "I respect the way he responded," Green said. "You don’t ever back down from anybody, and he didn’t. So I respect that." He expressed frustration over perceived double standards in how such confrontations are handled, referencing past incidents where he faced suspensions.
Earlier, Green had blocked Wembanyama, but the Spurs star proved resilient. In the game's final moments, Green boxed out Wembanyama to prevent a potential tip-in on a missed shot, securing the win for the Warriors (8-6), while the Spurs fell to 8-4. Curry's monster 49-point performance overshadowed Wembanyama's efforts, as the Spurs came close but couldn't hold the lead.