Victor Wembanyama has been hit with a big blow in the NBA playoffs, having gone into concussion protocol, which has been a huge blow to the San Antonio Spurs in the first-round series. After a hard fall, in which he hit his head on the floor, the 22-year-old superstar had to exit the game in the second quarter when he was playing against the Portland Trail Blazers.
Medical personnel promptly dismissed him for the rest of the game and confirmed that he had been put into the concussion protocol of the league.
Wembanyama had been quietly starting the season before the incident, with only five points, four rebounds, and a block in 12 minutes. But the fact that he was not there was decisive as the Spurs lost a 14-point lead only to lose 106-103 as Portland evened the series 1-1.
According to NBA regulations, the players should pass a battery of medical tests and be symptom-free prior to their resumption, so it is not clear whether Wembanyama will be able to play the next games.
The injury is frustrating to the French phenom, who has been having a historic season. A day before, he was named as the Defensive Player of the Year of the league, and what was interesting, it was the first time that a player was unanimously named the winner of the award.
Wembanyama has been the heart of the Spurs’ revival this season as they have made their first playoff appearance since 2019 and have aided the team in achieving one of the best records in the Western Conference. His dominance was witnessed in the first game of the series as he made a record of 35 points in the game, the largest ever in the history of the franchise in terms of playoff debut.
The Spurs have a challenging task now since the series is moving to Portland. In their absence, they will leave behind more burden on the up-and-coming stars like Stephon Castle and Devin Vassell, as well as a veteran guard, De’Aaron Fox.
In the case of San Antonio, the timing could not be worse. The combination of size, scoring and defensive presence that is unique to Wembanyama has been the backbone of the success they have, and without him on the court, a large gap is left on both ends.
All eyes will be on his recovery as the playoffs advance. The future of the Spurs may eventually be determined by whether or not they can remain competitive without their generational star.