San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama out with calf strain for several weeks
Victor Wembanyama will be sidelined for at least two weeks with a left calf strain, sources told ESPN’s Shams Charania on Monday.
The 21-year-old phenom was initially listed as questionable before Sunday’s game due to calf tightness. The Spurs ultimately decided to keep their franchise player on the bench during their win over the Sacramento Kings.
“Obviously, we’ve seen around this league recently, the calf-tightness thing is not something you want to take lightly,” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said Sunday. “Don’t want to push it there.”
The team is being extra cautious with their young superstar.
ESPN’s Michael C. Wright reported that Wembanyama was spotted in the locker room after Sunday’s game wearing a small sleeve on his injured calf. Despite the injury, Wemby showed no signs of discomfort.
Just two days earlier, he had dominated against the Warriors in an NBA Cup matchup, playing 38 minutes and putting up 26 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 blocks.
That performance marked his third straight game with at least 25 points and 10 rebounds, matching his longest such streak in the NBA.
Wemby’s Historic Start to the Season
Before the injury, Wembanyama was having a monster season. He led the Spurs to their first-ever 5-0 start in franchise history, posting 26 points, 18 rebounds, 6 assists, and 5 blocks in a win over Miami on October 30.
That hot start put him in rare company. He became just the second player in NBA history to average at least 30 points, 14 rebounds, and 4 blocks through the first five games of a season since blocks became an official stat in 1973-74. The only other player to do it? Bob McAdoo back in 1975.
Through 12 games this season, Wemby’s numbers are off the charts. He’s averaging career highs across the board:
- 26.2 points per game
- 12.9 rebounds
- 4.0 assists
- 34.6 minutes
He’s also shooting a career-best 50.2% from the field and 85.7% from the free-throw line.
Who Steps Up?
With their star sidelined, the Spurs turned to veteran Luke Kornet on Sunday. The free agent addition stepped up big time, scoring 13 points on perfect 5-for-5 shooting while blocking 3 shots.
Kornet finished with an impressive +13 plus/minus in the victory over Sacramento.
The Spurs specifically signed Kornet in the offseason to strengthen their frontcourt depth for moments exactly like this. Kelly Olynyk and Bismack Biyombo will likely see increased minutes as well during Wembanyama’s absence.
The team plans to re-evaluate their star big man in 2-3 weeks.
