Spurs’ Wembanyama Traveling With Team While Clearing Concussion Protocol
spurs-wembanyama-traveling-concussion-protocol
San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama will be on the team flight to Portland for this weekend’s playoff games against the Trail Blazers, even though he remains in the NBA’s concussion protocol, head coach Mitch Johnson said Thursday.
Johnson did not commit to Wembanyama’s availability for Game 3 on Friday at the Moda Center, noting that the 7-foot-4 star is “progressing” through the required steps. The club listed him as questionable on Thursday night’s injury report. Game 4 of the best-of-seven series, currently tied 1-1, is scheduled for Sunday in Portland.
“He looks good,” Johnson told reporters. “He’s following each protocol step, he’s progressing, and he’ll travel with the team.” Johnson added that Wembanyama has not been ruled out and that the organization will defer to the league’s guidelines to determine when he can return to play.
Under league rules, a player must wait at least 48 hours after sustaining a concussion before resuming full basketball activities. After 24 hours, light exercise is permitted if symptoms do not worsen. A symptom-free player must then clear several benchmarks, pass a comparative neurological exam and receive approval from the team physician in consultation with the NBA’s protocol director.
According to multiple sources, Wembanyama completed cardiovascular work late Wednesday without any increase in symptoms.
The concussion occurred with 8:57 left in the second quarter of Game 2 on Tuesday when Wembanyama drove to the basket against Jrue Holiday, landed chin-first on the floor and briefly appeared unconscious. Teammates Dylan Harper, Carter Bryant, Harrison Barnes and Stephon Castle immediately attended to him while the Spurs called a timeout. After several minutes under the basket, Wembanyama walked to the locker room with head athletic trainer Will Sevening and later left Frost Bank Center before the game ended.
Before exiting, the third-year center had five points and four rebounds in Game 2. On Monday, the 22-year-old became the youngest and first unanimous winner of the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award. During the regular season he averaged career highs of 25.0 points, 11.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 3.1 blocks and 1.0 steal, recording 43 games with both a block and a steal and 50 multi-block outings, including 17 with at least five blocks.
Wembanyama opened the series with 35 points and five rebounds in the Spurs’ Game 1 victory.
Source: ESPN
