Victor Wembanyama, injured
The San Antonio Spurs’ star center, Victor Wembanyama, will be out of the courts for a few weeks due to a left calf strain. The Spurs are taking precautions with their franchise player, who underwent an MRI on Monday. Wembanyama, who was initially questionable for Sunday’s game due to a left calf issue, was ruled out before the start of the match against the Sacramento Kings.Wembanyama, 21 years old, played 38 minutes during Friday’s NBA Cup game against the Golden State Warriors, where he scored 26 points, the most on the team, along with 12 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 blocks. This was Wembanyama’s third consecutive performance with 25 points and 10 rebounds, matching the longest streak of his career. Luke Kornet, a veteran free agency signing, replaced Wembanyama on Sunday and finished with 13 points on 5-of-5 shooting and three blocks. San Antonio specifically targeted Kornet in free agency to anchor the team’s frontcourt during the minutes Wembanyama is not on the court. Kornet finished with a plus-minus of 13 in the win over the Kings. Kelly Olynyk and Bismack Biyombo could also see an increase in their minutes in the absence of Wembanyama. In his third season, Wembanyama averages career highs in points (26.2), rebounds (12.9), and assists (4.0), while leading the league in blocks per game (3.6). Wembanyama was seen in the locker room after Sunday’s game wearing a small bandage on his injured left calf, but he showed no signs of discomfort.Obviously, we have seen in this league recently, that the calf strain is not something to be taken lightly. We don’t want to force it.
Mitch Johnson, Spurs Coach
