Victor Wembanyama suffered a hyperextended left knee in the Spurs‘ win over the Knicks on Wednesday night, reports ESPN’s Shams Charania (via Twitter). Charania adds that initial tests showed no major injury had been sustained.
“I’m feeling good, just sore. I’m confident,” Wembanyama said, per Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News (Twitter link). “I was close to coming back into the game. They had to hold me back…It was just a hyperextension. It should be a minimal.”
The Spurs’ star bumped knees with the Knicks’ Karl-Anthony Towns in the fourth quarter while fighting for a rebound and landed awkwardly, staying on the ground for several moments before the Spurs gave an intentional foul to stop play.
Wembanyama immediately went to the locker room. According to Stefan Bondy of the New York Post, Wembanyama told fans “I’ll be back” when he left (Twitter link), but when he returned, he was wearing slippers, per James L. Edwards III of The Athletic (Twitter link).
The Spurs were able to come back and end the game with a 134-132 victory despite not having their superstar center, and will now wait for a more specific diagnosis.
This was just the third start for the Frenchman since mid-November, as he missed 12 games due to a calf strain, and then came off the bench for the next seven games, including against the Knicks in the NBA Cup championship, in order to work his way back into competitive shape.
This is why Wemby will never be an MVP type guy. It’s too bad but that body ain’t built for the nba.
Wrong – the opposite is true actually – his body type – especially as it continues to mature is ideal for the NBA. Plus he’s already an “MVP type guy” despite being a very long way from his ceiling. Just curious have you ever seen one of his games?
I’ve been watching hoops for the longest time – these too tall, beanpole types are just prone to certain injuries ex. feet, ankles
Yao Ming, Z Ilgauskas, Smits, Sampson etc.
Let’s hope that a certified face of the league like Wemby, defies the odds and have a long fruitful career – his modern, alternative approach to conditioning alone should give fans some hope.