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LOS ANGELES – The San Antonio Spurs will have to face the LA Clippers without their alien superstar. Victor Wembanyama, the 22-year-old phenom who has taken the NBA by storm, was ruled out of Thursday night’s game at the Intuit Dome due to a right ankle injury. The announcement came just hours before tip-off, sending shockwaves through the basketball world and leaving fans who had bought tickets to see the French sensation disappointed. The game was the second night of a back-to-back for the Spurs, who defeated the Golden State Warriors in San Francisco on Wednesday – a game in which Wembanyama put up a ridiculous 41 points and 18 rebounds in just 29 minutes.
Wembanyama’s absence is a massive blow for the Spurs, who have won an NBA-best 10 straight games and are fighting for playoff positioning in the loaded Western Conference. The 7-foot-4 center has been on an absolute tear, averaging 30 points, 15.8 rebounds, and 4 assists over his last five games, reaching the 40-point mark four times in that span. His season averages are equally eye-popping: 24.7 points, 11.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 3.1 blocks, and 1.1 steals in just 29.2 minutes per game. He leads the league in blocks and ranks fifth in rebounds. But the ankle injury, which the team described as “mild soreness,” has forced the Spurs to err on the side of caution.
Earlier Thursday, Wembanyama was named the Western Conference Defensive Player of the Month for March – his third consecutive month winning that award. In 15 March games, he accumulated 180 rebounds, 56 blocks, and an NBA-high 20 steals. His 3.73 blocks per game led the league, and he also tallied 1.33 steals per game. Wembanyama had 10 games with four or more blocks and six games with two or more steals. The Defensive Player of the Year award is almost certainly his – he’s been the odds-on favorite since December. But the bigger drama is his MVP candidacy. Wembanyama has been a serious contender in the heated MVP race, alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luka Doncic, and Giannis Antetokounmpo.
However, there’s a catch: the NBA’s 65-game rule. To be eligible for postseason awards (including MVP, All-NBA, and Defensive Player of the Year), a player must appear in at least 65 games. Wembanyama has technically played in 62 games this season, including the NBA Cup Final (which counts as a regular-season game for award purposes). After missing Thursday’s game, he will have played in 62 games with five regular-season games remaining. To reach 65, he must play in three of the Spurs’ final five games. That seems doable, but if the ankle injury lingers or the Spurs decide to shut him down for precautionary reasons (they are securely in the playoff picture but unlikely to catch the top seeds), his award eligibility could be in jeopardy. “We’re going to be smart about it,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said before the game. “Victor wants to play, but we have to think long-term.”
The Clippers, meanwhile, caught a massive break. They entered the game as 8-point underdogs, but without Wembanyama, the betting line shifted dramatically. The Clippers’ frontcourt – led by Ivica Zubac and Nicolas Batum – suddenly has a chance to dominate the glass. For Spurs fans, the hope is that this is just a one-game absence. Wembanyama has been remarkably durable for a player of his size, and the “ankle soreness” is likely just a precaution on a back-to-back. But with the Spurs’ 10-game winning streak on the line and Wembanyama’s MVP hopes hanging in the balance, every game matters. “We’ll know more tomorrow,” Popovich added. “But we’re not going to risk our franchise player for one regular-season game.”
For fantasy basketball managers, this is a nightmare. Wembanyama owners who were counting on his monster production in the fantasy finals are left scrambling. The Spurs play again on Saturday against the Portland Trail Blazers. If Wembanyama sits that one too, his availability for the final week of the season becomes a major question mark. One thing is certain: the NBA is better when Wembanyama is on the court. Here’s hoping the ankle heals quickly, and the alien returns to terrorize the league once more.