San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama will be sidelined for “a few weeks,” according to a report by ESPN’s Shams Charania. He suffered a left calf strain during Friday’s loss to the Golden State Warriors, with the injury confirmed by MRI.
So far this season, Wembanyama has averaged 26.2 points, 12.9 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3.6 blocks per game, leading the Spurs to an 8-3 record entering Friday’s contest. He played the entire game against the Warriors, including all 12 minutes of the fourth quarter, but San Antonio fell by one point in a tight battle in which neither team ever led by more than 10.
The Spurs rebounded the following night with a win over the Sacramento Kings and currently stand at 9-4, good for fifth place in the Western Conference. Without their leading scorer and primary rim protector, however, upcoming games will test the team’s depth. San Antonio hosts the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday, welcomes the Atlanta Hawks on Thursday, then, after a two-day break, travels to Phoenix to face the Suns on Sunday.
The injury also calls into question Wembanyama’s eligibility for major postseason awards. Under the league’s 65-game minimum rule that began in the 2023-24 season, players must appear in at least 65 games and play a minimum of 20 minutes in those contests to qualify for Most Valuable Player, Defensive Player of the Year, and other honors. Having played in every game to date, Wembanyama can miss no more than 17 regular-season games and still remain eligible.