Game 3 is Friday in Portland. It remains to be seen if San Antonio’s Defensive Player of the Year will be able to suit up after suffering an injury Tuesday.
SAN ANTONIO — When Spurs fans tune in for Game 3 of the first-round playoff series between San Antonio and Portland, as much of their focus will be paid to who will likely not be on the court as who is on it.
Victor Wembanyama was diagnosed with a concussion, NBA Insider Shams Charania reported, after San Antonio’s newly minted Defensive Player of the Year came down on the court hard in the first half of Tuesday’s game. He stayed on the floor for about a minute before heading to the locker room under his own power.
The Trail Blazers eventually won the game, 106-103, to even up the series at 1-1. Game 3 is Friday in Portland.
Now questions turn to Wembanyama’s status and availability for the rest of a first-round series that will be that much more evenly matched in the Frenchman’s absence.
Under the NBA’s concussion policy, Wemby must wait at least 48 hours after his time of injury before returning to “full participation without restrictions,” while also fulfilling several requirements for return.
Those include:
- Regular monitoring for the first 24 hours
- Steadily increasing energy exertion, starting with stationary bike and moving on to jogging, agility work and non-contact team drills–all under medical staff observation
- Neurological examinations performed through each exertion stage, with the requirement that Wembanyama be symptom-free before moving to the next one
The NBA restricts players from returning to full, unrestricted participation until he checks off the following boxes:
- No concussion-related symptoms “at rest”
- He’s been evaluated by a physician with the appropriate injury knowledge
- Has undergone and completed the return-to-participation exertion process and been cleared
- NBA officials confirm the clearance with a team physician
All told, it’s possible Wembanyama can return to play Friday in Portland. But much depends on the severity of his concussion; Charania reported he will undergo further testing Wednesday.
Former Spur Lonnie Walker IV sustained a concussion on March 12, 2025, and returned for a short stint in a game nine days later. He was back to full-time play on March 29.