The team announced the injury during the game. Wembanyama played 16 minutes in the first half, finishing with 17 points, five rebounds, and three blocks before being ruled out for the remainder of the contest.<\/p>\n
After the game, head coach Mitch Johnson<\/a> said he had no further update but remained cautiously optimistic.<\/p>\n “No. I think it would be a positive that he felt like he could come back, and he played the last four or five minutes in the [first] half. So, that’s a positive from my perspective,” Johnson told reporters.<\/p>\n According to injury expert Jeff Stotts<\/a>, the Spurs may have avoided a serious issue, as rib contusions typically do not lead to significant missed time, averaging around 1.1 games or roughly four days.<\/p>\n However, he also noted that rib injuries can be difficult to properly assess with X-rays.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, sports doctor Jesse Morse outlined<\/a> five possible diagnoses for this type of injury:<\/p>\n Rib contusion (bruise) Rib cartilage injury Rib fracture Rib fracture combined with cartilage injury Rib fracture with organ involvement (such as the lung) <\/p>\n The best-case scenario for Wembanyama would be clean imaging results \u2013 X-ray, MRI, and CT scan \u2013 confirming only a rib contusion.<\/p>\n The Spurs (60-19) have three games remaining in the regular season, and Wemby must appear in at least one of them (playing 20+ minutes) to meet the NBA’s 65-game requirement for season awards eligibility.<\/p>\n If the injury proves more serious, he could miss all three games and potentially more, depending on the diagnosis and severity.<\/p>\n If he does qualify, Wembanyama is widely considered the favorite for Defensive Player of the Year and is expected to earn All-NBA honors. He has also entered the conversation as a potential MVP.<\/p>\n This season, the French star is averaging 24.9 points, 11.6 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 3.1 blocks per game.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Thank you for being with us! Subscribe to BN+ and browse ad-free.<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n If you like our content, please click here<\/a> and add us as your preferred source. It helps us a lot, and we are committed to delivering you the very latest basketball news.<\/p>\n ![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/bn-plus.png\")
<\/p>\n