Following a shock Flagrant 2 ejection that saw Victor Wembanyama tossed just minutes into Game 4, Spurs coach Mitch Johnson is calling the treatment of his center ‘disgusting.’ Yankee Scores reports.
San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama received his first career ejection on Sunday in Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals.
The Ejection: A Historic First
He was ejected after throwing an elbow to the jaw of Minnesota Timberwolves forward Naz Reid in the early stages of the second quarter.
While head coach Mitch Johnson was displeased with Wembanyama’s actions, Johnson noted after San Antonio Spurs’ 114-109 loss that officials can increase protective efforts to guard Wembanyama from the usual physicality from opponents against the 22-year-old NBA Defensive Player of the Year.
“Just the amount of physicality that people play with him, at some level, you have to protect yourself,” Johnson said after the Spurs’ defeat, which evened the series at 2-2 ahead of Tuesday’s Game 5 in San Antonio.
Wemby’s Protection
“Every single play on every single part of the floor, people are trying to impose their physicality on you. He’s gotten pushed down in transition, running freely. We don’t complain because we’re just going to play. We don’t really give a s—. But at some stage, he should be protected. If not, he’s going to have to protect himself, and unfortunately, stuff like that happens.
“It’s starting to get disgusting in terms of when he tries to fight through things, be professional and mature and deal with some of that stuff. I’m glad he took matters into his own hands. Not in terms of hitting Naz Reid, but he’s going to have to protect himself if they’re not. And I think it’s disgusting.”
The Foul Incident
An offensive foul was called shortly after the contact between Wembanyama and Reid, who forced the towering 7-foot-4 center into the basket area after Wembanyama corralled an errant shot from beyond the arc for the Spurs.
After review, the foul was deemed a flagrant foul 2 due to the excessive contact above the neck level when the defender was contacted, and Wembanyama was ejected as a result.
“His left arm was being held, and I think everybody’s taught [to] chin [the] ball,” Spurs guard De’ Aaron Fox said. “But those things happen. I think if the foul is called [before that], it probably never happens.”
Unwanted Record for Wemby
Four points scored in the game made up Wembanyama’s lowest point total of his young NBA career in both the regular season and the playoffs. Wembanyama stayed in the Spurs’ locker room until the game ended, and he did not speak with the media following the contest.
However, Wembanyama did talk to his team at halftime, with San Antonio trailing the Timberwolves 60-56.
“You could see the frustration,” Spurs guard Dylan Harper said. “I don’t think it was intentional. It was more like, ‘They keep grabbing me. I’m trying to protect myself because ain’t no one else going to protect me.'”
Ejection of Wembanyama with 8:39 left in the second quarter marks the earliest an All-Star has ever been ejected from a playoff game since the play-by-play era began in 1997-98, per ESPN Research. Thus far in NBA history, teams have a combined record of 1-8 when an All-Star is ejected in the playoffs before the fourth quarter.
Inside the Locker Room
“[He was] just instilling confidence and just staying in good spirits even though he was out of the game,” San Antonio guard Stephon Castle said.
“They did what they did because of the outcome of the play,” Johnson said. “So be it. But to have anything on top of that I think would be ridiculous.”
