Say what you want about some of his antics, but there’s no disputing that Draymond Green is one of the best defensive players this century. He has nine All-Defensive team selections and the 2016-17 Defensive Player of the Year award to prove it, not to mention four rings that were propelled in large part by his toughness and ability to shut down everyone from point guards to centers.
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Draymond may get beat sometimes, but he never backs down from a fight, figuratively or literally. That’s why it was so interesting to see him get dunked on last month by Victor Wembanyama, the third-year French sensation who is so tall that everyone knows the Spurs are still underselling his height by listing him at 7’4″.
On the play in question, Draymond was matched up on Wemby as the Spurs inbounded the ball from the baseline. He spun left through contact and jammed home a left-handed alley oop from Stephon Castle right in Draymond’s mug, then the two of them immediately began jawing at each other before being separated.
Kevin Harlan was on the call, which only added to how big this moment felt. “It’s in to Wembanyama with the jackhammer!” he exclaimed. “Rocks the rim, fouled on the play, words after it!”
IF THIS WOULD’VE COUNTED #NBAonPrime
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— NBA on Prime (@NBAonPrime) November 15, 2025
Unfortunately for Wemby and the Spurs, the refs called a foul on Draymond on the floor before the dunk happened, so the basket didn’t count. The damage was already done though, and people haven’t forgotten about it even a month later.
Shaquille O’Neal spoke about the dunk on the latest episode of his podcast with guests Carmelo Anthony and comedian Hasan Minhaj, and all three marveled at how helpless Draymond, an incredible defender, must have felt in that moment.
“Why was he guarding him on that play?” Minhaj asked. “Why do that to yourself?” As Melo attempted to explain Draymond’s defensive prowess, Minhaj cut him off. “It was just triggering for me as someone who was bullied … And then he [flexed on him], and to also be cursed at in French … It was just too much.”
“It was bad,” Shaq agreed. “I wanted to text him on that play, I was like, ‘Oooh,’ but I can respect Wemby for stepping up.”
“What do you mean you respect him for stepping up, he’s eight feet taller,” Minhaj quipped. “I have the guts to squash a bug, what are you talking about?”
It can’t be said enough that the NBA has never seen someone like Wemby. His unbelievable size, combined with his guard-like skills, is the kind of thing that produces a new batch of highlights every time he takes the floor, even when he’s matched up with someone with the defensive reputation that Draymond has.
What’s scary for the rest of the NBA is that while Wemby has sat out the past month with the calf strain he suffered later in that Warriors game, the Spurs have been playing great basketball.
They emphatically beat the Lakers on the road in the NBA Cup quarterfinals on Wednesday to run their record to 9-3 without their superstar center, and now it looks like they’ll have him back when they take on the 24-1 Thunder in the semis on Saturday.
If Wemby can stay healthy the rest of the year, Shaq better have his phone ready to send out some condolence texts to all of his future victims, and Minhaj may want to watch something else so as to avoid being triggered again.
