Chris Paul didn’t make it to second on the NBA’s all-time steals list by playing soft on defense.

Now a veteran of two decades of professional basketball. Paul is still notoriously active as a defender, and remains one of the most cerebral players in the league.

With 2,689 career steals, he knows how to pick a pocket. But on Tuesday night, Trey Murphy III of the New Orleans Pelicans tried out a new way of keeping Paul away from the ball—asking politely.

Murphy, who was mic’d up for the Pelicans’ game against the Spurs, could be heard calmly saying, “No Chris. Stop Chris,” while being hounded by Paul’s defense.

Paul finished the night with two steals, and Murphy ended the game with three turnovers, so his request wasn’t fully respected by the veteran guard. Still, Murphy and the Pelicans were able to come out on top in the end, beating the Spurs 109–103.

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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Trey Murphy III Had a Hilariously Direct Request While Being Guarded by Chris Paul.