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Apr 1, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) stands on the court during a break in the action against the Golden State Warriors in the third quarter at the Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images
Imago
Apr 1, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) stands on the court during a break in the action against the Golden State Warriors in the third quarter at the Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images
The San Antonio Spurs’ playoff hopes with their generational talent, Victor Wembanyama, took a hit after his injury scare. Whatever happened in the Philadelphia 76ers game on Monday had fans fearing the worst in a déjà vu-like scenario. Wemby collided with Paul George while trying to push a fast-break opportunity. He fell to the floor because of the contact and clutched his rib area, and soon headed to the locker room. What everybody saw next sparked some hope, but that didn’t last very long.
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Wembanyama returned to the bench with 6:49 left in the half and briefly checked back into the game. Encouragingly, he added eight points and two rebounds since that mark. However, with just 44.3 seconds remaining before halftime, his return was cut short. Within minutes, the 22-year-old was ruled out of the game, and the team confirmed he had suffered a left rib contusion. Shams Charania now reports the Spurs are exhaling a very cautious sigh of relief in this final stretch of the regular season.
The ESPN insider reported that while the injury is painful and physically restrictive, the Spurs are optimistic about their star player. “Tests showed a bad bruise to his rib, and that can impact his breathing, so he is day-to-day,” Charania told Malika Andrews. There is also a clear target for his return. “There’s confidence that Victor Wembanyama will be able to play at least one of these final two games, as soon as Friday against the Dallas Mavericks at home.”
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“The Spurs and Victor Wembanyama are confident he’ll be able to do so, potentially on Friday,” Charania reiterated. Right after the injury, Dr. Jesse Morse, MD, had expanded on the five possible rib injuries that the Frechman could have. “1. Rib contusion/bruise 2. Rib cartilage injury 3. Rib fracture 4. Rib fracture + rib cartilage injury 5. Rib fracture + organ injury (lung),” he wrote. But then, to everyone’s relief, the first set of reports also began hinting at the best-case scenario.
Reporting for ESPN NBA Countdown on San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama’s health and ramp up to his first postseason: pic.twitter.com/sAqb2Zyw3s
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 8, 2026
Reporter Chris Haynes revealed that the Frenchman had returned a clean MRI and avoided a serious long-term injury. He has been day-to-day ever since. It’s important to remember that the Spurs and their fanbase are protective of the 22-year-old, especially after a major health scare last year. In February 2025, he was diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis, a blood clot in his right shoulder, which forced him to miss the remainder of the season despite playing at an All-NBA level.
The condition, which can become life-threatening if complications arise, required months of recovery and careful monitoring before he was cleared to return. Some might wonder why there’s urgency now. But as Charania pointed out, it’s worth noting the Spurs’ history in injury management.
Spurs to balance caution with preparing Victor Wembanyama for his playoff debut; is he still MVP eligible?
Playoff contenders don’t want to throw their franchise cornerstones right into the middle of a playoff series after an injury absence. Teams like the Golden State Warriors prioritized getting Stephen Curry reconditioned to regular games after a 27-game absence. With no postseason experience, Victor Wembanyama is still adjusting to the faster pace and fewer stoppages of playoff basketball. An injury absence could further disrupt that rhythm.
The Spurs are avoiding exactly that with extreme caution. Since the era of David Robinson and Steve Kerr, through Tony Parker’s tenure, and even now, San Antonio has been a pioneer of intentional caution, or load management. Earlier this season, a left calf strain sidelined Wembanyama for several weeks, and more recently, he has had lingering right ankle soreness. But San Antonio isn’t worrying too much because their priorities are clear. “The Spurs are viewing the regular season as a ramp-up period for the playoffs. Anyone who knows the Spurs… it’s all about the long-term health of the player,” Charania explained.
This cautious approach was evident in Wednesday’s game against Portland, where Wembanyama was ruled out despite being listed as doubtful earlier in the day. Coach Mitch Johnson also provided an extra bit of information, adding, “He’s improved quite a bit.” While Wemby is making a strong case for NBA awards, averaging 24.8 points, 11.5 rebounds, and a league-leading 3.1 blocks, he also needs to be eligible.
The 7’5″ phenom is currently one game shy of the NBA’s 65-game threshold required for MVP, DPOY, and All-NBA honors, all of which he’s in contention for. To qualify, he must log at least 20 minutes in one of the Spurs’ remaining two contests. Wemby’s ability to tough it out was seen against Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets. He logged 40 minutes in the 136-134 OT loss.
The Spurs are already secure in the second spot in the West. If Wembanyama’s breathing remains unaffected, there’s reason for optimism heading into the playoffs. As Charania concluded, “Come playoff time, you know it’s going to be hard to keep Victor Wembanyama off the court.”
