San Antonio Spurs’ promising star Victor Wembanyama is set to miss several weeks following a calf injury sustained during a recent game. On the court, the 21-year-old center’s off to a stellar start this season. In case you haven’t noticed, he is averaging career-highs in points, rebounds and assists! After Sunday’s preseason matchup against the Sacramento Kings, the Spurs put out an official announcement that Wembanyama would not play. He is currently working through some tightness in his left calf.
Wembanyama was seen in the locker room after the game with a small sleeve on his injured left calf. Even then, he showed just about every sign of comfort. This injury comes after a dazzling debut game from Wembanyama. It was his third-straight game with at least 25 points and 10 rebounds, matching the longest streak of his career. He capped off that game with 26 points, 12 rebounds, four assists, and three blocks vs. the Golden State Warriors.
Right now, Wembanyama is averaging a ridiculous 26.2 points, 12.9 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game this year. To add injury to insult, he leads the league with an average of 3.6 blocks per game. His contributions have been greater than just the counting stats for the Spurs, especially as they continue to experience their up-and-down season.
Just before the game against the Kings, Wembanyama was listed as questionable due to tightness in his left calf. Then he was ruled out just before tip-off. Spurs coach Mitch Johnson admitted that league-wide, calf injuries are becoming increasingly serious and that they needed to be careful.
“Obviously, we’ve seen around this league recently, the calf-tightness thing is not something you want to take lightly,” – Spurs coach Mitch Johnson
Johnson reiterated the team’s focus on being cautious with Wembanyama, adding, “Don’t want to overdo it there.”
The Spurs have done their due diligence to maintain their frontcourt’s depth and stability while Wembanyama acclimates to the league. The team’s moves in free agency clearly show that they were targeting Luke Kornet to anchor the frontcourt when Wembanyama is off the floor. As they learn to cope with life without their MVP winner, the Spurs will be trying to keep the wolves from the door.
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