How Long Will Spurs Star Victor Wembanyama Be Out With Concussion?

SAN ANTONIO — Victor Wembanyama is expected to travel with the San Antonio Spurs to the West Coach after suffering a concussion in Game 2 on Tuesday, though it's not yet clear when he'll return to the court to face the Portland Trail Blazers.

Wembanyama's injury has thrown a wrench into his first playoff run, adding a layer of difficulty for San Antonio, hoping to advance beyond the Western Conference First Round. Thursday morning, Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said Wembanyama is doing well.

“He looks good," Johnson said. "The update is that he is following the league's protocol and he is progressing and will travel with the team.”

San Antonio and Portland are tied 1-1 after the former faltered when its star went down midway through the second quarter in Game 2. Asked if Wembanyama would play in either Game 3 on Friday night or Game 4 on Sunday afternoon, Johnson gave no definitive answer.

"We'll just keep going through the protocol," Johnson said, "and hopefully he continues to progress. It's pretty straightforward. Obviously, we hope he'll be back at some point, but we'll allow the protocol to play out. Again, there's nothing more important than his health."

Wembanyama did not participate in any strenuous activity in the part of practice open to media, but he briefly appeared on the courts before returning to treatment. The Frenchman was also in the Spurs' facility on Wednesday, encouraging his teammates to wear cowboy hats in celebration of Keldon Johnson's Sixth Man of the Year award.

With 8:57 left to play in the second quarter of Game 2, Jrue Holiday attempted to avoid contact with a driving Wembanyama. The 7-footer finished a series of spin moves by pushing forward, expecting contact with Holiday that never came. He then slipped and fell.

Wembanyama appeared to lose consciousness for a few seconds before attempting to get up off the floor. He stumbled back down to a sitting position with his head down, prompting Johnson to call a timeout to assess his status.

Fifteen minutes later, the Spurs announced that Wembanyama had been placed in concussion protocol and would not return.

“It was scary," Trail Blazers acting coach Tiago Splitter, a former Spur, said of the play following his squad's 106-103 road victory. "I saw the images. It was not good."

Johnson confirmed Wembanyama's concussion during his postgame press conference. The coach added that Wembanyama was not evaluated for anything else, nor taken to a hospital.

“Protocol is the protocol,” the coach said, declining to answer whether Wembanyama would sit out for Game 3. “We’ll just follow it as everyone else does and plan accordingly."

Per the NBA's concussion protocol, 24 hours after a player sustains a concussion, he can begin the process of returning to play. If the player remains symptom free, they can move on to the next step before being cleared after 48 hours of non-participation.

"That's a big piece that's going to be missing," De'Aaron Fox said, "but we've played games without him. We didn't even play Portland with Vic until the first playoff game. You'd say next-man-up mentality, but the entire team has to step up ... we've got to be ready."

Added Devin Vassell: "We can't get bogged down by it."

If Wembanyama presents continued symptoms, or if they worsen, he'll have to wait until they pass before attempting return-to-play protocols. On average, NBA players sit out for around seven days with a concussion. Game 5 is scheduled for next Tuesday in San Antonio.

The Spurs hope they won't have to wait that long to be whole again.

"We're definitely checking in on him," Vassell said, adding that he hadn't spoken to Wembanyama since his injury. "Our prayers are with him. We just want him to be good.”

Game 3 of the Western Conference First Round between the San Antonio Spurs and Portland Trail Blazers from Moda Center is set for 9:30 p.m. Central Friday night on Prime.

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