San Antonio Spurs fans held their breath after Victor Wembanyama fell hard to the floor Monday against the Philadelphia 76ers.
The 22‑year‑old winced in pain and clutched his arm following a hard collision with Paul George in the second quarter.
Wembanyama showed heart by returning before halftime, determined to help his team despite clear discomfort.
The Spurs soon made the smart call to take precautionary measures and kept their MVP candidate out for the entire second half. Fans could only hope the injury was not serious, as replays of the collision looked concerning from every angle.
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Wembanyama was once again on track for a dominant performance before leaving with an injury. The Frenchman notched 17 points, five rebounds and three blocks while shooting 7‑of‑11 from the field in just 16 minutes.
Polymarket Hoops on X shared a slow‑motion replay of Wembanyama’s direct hit with George that caused the injury.
“Prayers for Wemby, this was the play he got injured. Sucks to see right before his first postseason,” the post read.
The Spurs later confirmed their star suffered a left rib contusion. He did not return to the bench with teammates after halftime.
Even so, San Antonio battled to a 115‑102 victory at Frost Bank Center. Stephon Castle stepped up with a triple‑double of 19 points, 13 assists and 10 rebounds to secure the win.
Wembanyama has been enjoying another breakthrough campaign, averaging 24.9 points, 11.6 rebounds and 3.1 blocks per game entering the Sixers matchup.
He remains the clear favorite for NBA Defensive Player of the Year and a serious contender in one of the tightest MVP races in years.
Spurs Nation will be watching closely for updates on his condition with three games left in the regular season. San Antonio returns to action Wednesday against the Portland Trail Blazers.
