The Spurs’ young star has been out a month, but could be primed to return for the blockbuster NBA Cup matchup.
SAN ANTONIO — Victor Wembanyama, the Spurs All-Star who has sat out the last month with a calf strain, is now “probable” to return to game action for Saturday’s NBA Cup Semifinal against the Thunder, according to the team’s latest injury report.
Based off his comments in Las Vegas, which is hosting the final three games of the in-season tournament, the likelihood is even great than that designation.
“Right now, I’m feeling great,” the 21-year-old center said Friday in Vegas. “I’m feeling great, I’m ready to go.”
Head coach Mitch Johnson added another sign at the end of his own time with media: “I expect Victor to play tomorrow.”
It would certainly be a dramatic moment for one of the league’s most promising young stars to return after missing a dozen games–not in a city currently home to an NBA franchise, but Las Vegas, host of the NBA Cup. And not against any regular team, but the defending champion Thunder, who are off to a 24-1 start; that’s the best mark through 25 games since the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors, who went on to make the Finals.
Wembanyama insisted the timing of his likely return is just happenstance.
“It doesn’t matter,” Wemby said when asked if the circumstances of Saturday’s game added to his desire to return. “When you’re part of a team like this where we’re starting to be more successful, we’re starting to win, every single game is important.”
Wemby averaged 26.2 points, 12.9 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 3.6 blocks in 12 games to start his third season. San Antonio (17-7) has managed to maintain a top-five spot in the West in Wembanyama’s absence, going 9-3 and convincingly upsetting the Lakers in Los Angeles on Wednesday night to secure the team’s first-ever NBA Cup Semifinal.
Asked about his observations of the team playing while he’s watched from the sidelines or at home, Wembanyama said he was “really proud.”
“Almost every night, they’ve proven I have nothing to worry about… it’s getting closer to the ideal basketball, in my opinion,” he said. “And everybody has something to eat, anybody can step up at any time, everybody trusts their teammate.”
Saturday’s game now grows in can’t-miss stature as fans potentially prepare to watch two of the league’s best young stars – and best young teams – face off.
Wembanyama has averaged 16.5 points, 11.8 rebounds and 3.8 assists in four career games against the Thunder, going 1-3 in those matchups. Aside from reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, OKC boasts its own star center in Chet Holmgren, who is seventh among NBA centers in points per game (18.8) and also in blocks per game (1.5).
Johnson acknowledged Wembanyama would be on a minutes restriction were he to suit up.
“He’s gonna be tired,” the first-year head coach said. “I would expect an early sub and not his normal minutes.”
Wembanyama added that his recovery period, though it was “almost never painful or uncomfortable,” was an opportunity to learn to trust his medical staff. He hasn’t played since a Nov. 14 matchup with the Warriors.
“It’s true that if it was only me, I’d have come back earlier,” he said. “But I think it’s more reasonable to listen to them and do as they said, because there was no reason to take inconsiderate risk two days after my injury.”
“I have to trust the process.”
The Spurs and Thunder will get familiar with each other as 2025 comes to a close: Saturday’s NBA Cup matchup will be the first of three matchups in 12 days between the two squads. Oklahoma City has jumped to a historic start, going 24-1 to match the 2015-16 Warriors for the best 25-game start in NBA history.
The winner of Saturday’s game will go on to face the winner of the Orlando Magic and New York Knicks in the in-season tourney championship, scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Tuesday.