Victor Wembanyama Leaves Game With Apparent Knee Injury
Victor Wembanyama Leaves Game With Apparent Knee Injury...
San Antonio Spurs rookie sensation Victor Wembanyama exited Friday night's game against the Denver Nuggets with a right knee injury, sending shockwaves through the NBA community. The 7-foot-4 center collapsed to the court after an awkward landing following a blocked shot attempt late in the third quarter at Ball Arena.
Team medical staff immediately attended to Wembanyama before helping him limp to the locker room. Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich told reporters after the game that the 21-year-old would undergo imaging Saturday morning to determine the severity. The injury comes at a critical time for the Spurs, who are fighting for playoff positioning with just four games remaining in the regular season.
Wembanyama's injury is trending nationally because the French phenom has become must-watch television during his historic rookie campaign. He entered Friday averaging 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds and a league-leading 3.6 blocks per game. Social media erupted with concern from fans and fellow players after the injury occurred during ESPN's nationally televised broadcast.
The Nuggets went on to win 112-104, but the outcome became secondary to Wembanyama's status. Team officials said he would travel back to San Antonio with the team rather than remaining in Denver for further evaluation. The Spurs' next game is Sunday against the Los Angeles Lakers.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver released a statement wishing Wembanyama a speedy recovery, calling him "one of the most exciting young players we've ever seen." Sports medicine experts caution that knee injuries for players of Wembanyama's unique size and athleticism require particular caution during recovery.
Spurs fans flooded social media with well-wishes, while rival teams expressed concern about the potential impact on the playoff race. Wembanyama had been considered a lock for Rookie of the Year before Friday's injury. The Spurs currently hold the 8th seed in the Western Conference at 42-36.
