Rib Contusion Sidelines Victor Wembanyama for Second Half Against 76ers
rib-contusion-sidelines-victor-wembanyama-against-76ers
San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama was held out of the second half of Monday night’s game against the Philadelphia 76ers after sustaining a left rib contusion, the team announced.
The injury occurred during the first half when the 22-year-old fell to the court. With Wembanyama unavailable after intermission, head coach Gregg Popovich turned to Luke Kornet, who opened the third quarter in his place.
Before exiting, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft logged 16 minutes, finishing with 17 points, five rebounds and three blocks. San Antonio outscored Philadelphia by seven while he was on the floor.
Because he played more than one minute, Monday’s appearance counts toward the league’s 65-game minimum required for postseason honors. Wembanyama has one other qualifying game this season in which he played 17 minutes. To remain eligible for major awards, he must log at least 20 minutes in one of the Spurs’ final three regular-season contests. One previous appearance does not appear on his 2025-26 game log because it took place in the NBA Cup final.
If the playing-time threshold is met, Wembanyama is widely considered the front-runner for Defensive Player of the Year and is expected to be a serious contender for Most Valuable Player and a spot on the All-NBA First Team.
Source: Hoops Rumors
