What was supposed to be a statement night for San Antonio turned into a medical emergency when Victor Wembanyama. With the series now tied and the 7-foot-4 phenom’s status for Game 3 in major doubt, Yankee Scores breaks the fate of San Antonio’s postseason run.
San Antonio Spurs’ star Victor Wembanyama got injured after a heavy hit to his head during the second quarter of the Game 2 defeat against the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday night.
The Collision
Wembanyama played only for 12 minutes before being sidelined because of the concussion protocol.
“I just know he has a concussion and he’s in the protocol,” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson after the 106 – 103 loss, which evened the first-round series at 1. “We’ll obviously take the proper and appropriate steps.”
Asked if Wembanyama was being evaluated for anything beyond a concussion, Johnson added: “No.”
The Recovery Timeline
The league’s concussion gudelines states that a player cannot return to full participation for 48 hours after the time of the injury but can resume gradual activity after 24 hours as long as symptoms don’t worsen. Then, the player must hit several benchmarks while being symptom-free before he is cleared to play. He’ll then require clearance from the team doctor in consultation with the league protocol director.
The Spurs will be playing Game 3 in Portland this Friday.
Credit: Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News
The incident occurred when he was trying to drive to the basket with 8:57 remaining in the second quarter while Jrue Holiday defended against him. He fell head-first into the ground and looked like he fainted temporarily due to the closing of his eyes.
Players Dylan Harper, Carter Bryant, Harrison Barnes, and Stephon Castle came to assess him immediately.
The 7-foot-4 rookie stayed seated near the baseline for several minutes before the timeout was called. The Spurs fans were screaming “Wemby” at Frost Bank Center.
“I was just checking on him, making sure he was OK,” Castle said. “I was subbing in. Obviously, he ran off [the floor]. So, that’s a good sign.”
Holiday was whistled for a non-shooting foul on the play. The
Next Man Up
Spurs subbed in backup center Luke Kornet for Wembanyama.
“I got the foul call,” Holiday said. “I didn’t think I touched him, but I don’t really know. After they called the foul, I went to complain to the ref. I didn’t really see [Wembanyama’s fall].”
For the first time in league history, just yesterday, the Defensive Player of the Year award was decided without debate. Victor Wembanyama, at just 22 years old, became the youngest winner ever and the first unanimous selection. His dominance in shot‑blocking and rim protection left voters with no alternative.
Leading the NBA in blocks for the third straight season, Victor Wembanyama consistently disrupted opponents. His presence forced teams to adjust lineups and strategies, proving his impact was far beyond the stat sheet.
