Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs has been ruled out for the team’s next game against the Portland Trail Blazers.
The news comes after Wembanyama left the Spurs’ last game against the Philadelphia 76ers with a rib injury, the same health concern that has ruled him out for Wednesday.
Despite initially being listed as doubtful, the star won’t play against Portland, only putting the French center at greater risk for missing out on end-of-season awards, including an All-NBA team, the MVP, and Defensive Player of the Year award.
Victor Wembanyama MVP And End-Of-Season Awards Status After Injury Update
GettyVictor Wembanyama facing an MVP eligibility crisis after rib injury
While he won’t play in the San Antonio versus Portland game, Wembanyama is at extreme risk of missing out on end-of-season awards for the 2025-26 NBA campaign, what has been his healthiest and most successful of his career.
Despite the Spurs’ getting good news based on the latest injury update, as MRI results found now major concerns, his status as out for Wednesday means Wembanyama will only have two more chances to play in his 65th game of the season.
He needs to play at least 20 minutes one more time this season, and he’ll only have two more chances to do that: either on Friday against the Dallas Mavericks or Sunday against the Denver Nuggets.
“Wembanyama needs to play at least 20 minutes in one of the Spurs’ final three games, which is in doubt after he left Monday’s game against the 76ers with a rib contusion,” Mike Prada of The Athletic wrote on his NBA end-of-season award status. “He managed to play 16 minutes before departing Monday’s game, thus using up his second “near-miss” contest. It’s a near certainty that Wemby will win the Defensive Player of the Year if he is eligible. He might also win MVP.”
As mentioned, while he was ruled out, it could just be a precautionary measure for the Spurs and their franchise star. According to Shams Charania, his current injury isn’t as bad as it could have been.
“I’m told the Spurs are not anticipating this to be a major injury. He underwent X-rays last night on that rib and X-rays for Victor Wameniyama returned negative, I’m told, and so he will be undergoing more testing later today,” he said on NBA Today. “But there is hope and optimism that those tests will confirm what they felt last night was that the anticipation is nothing major.”
San Antonio Spurs Injury Report Vs. Portland Trail Blazers
GettyDALLAS, TEXAS – NOVEMBER 16: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs and Stephon Castle #5 of the San Antonio Spurs walk off the court after a game against the Dallas Mavericksat American Airlines Center on November 16, 2024 in Dallas, Texas.
Along with Wembanyama, the Spurs have ruled out Stephon Castle for their upcoming game. Like the center, he was originally doubtful, but later it was confirmed that he would sit against Portland.
According to Jared Weiss of The Athletic, Castle is dealing with right knee soreness after a minor injury in the team’s game against the 76ers.
“Castle collided with an opposing player and appeared to be kicked in the leg before going down and holding his right knee. The second-year guard can be considered questionable to return until more information comes to light,” Rotowire staff originally wrote on his injury.
But while the full extent of his injury is not yet known, as San Antonio has already clinched at least the second seed in the West for the playoffs, it could also be a precautionary measure sitting the second-year guard on Wednesday.
For now, the Spurs are 60-19 and can only grab the top seed in the West if they win out and the Oklahoma City Thunder loses the final three games of the season, which remains an unlikely scenario.
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