Victor Wembanyama, a prominent player for the San Antonio Spurs, sustained a concussion on Tuesday night during a loss to the Portland Trail Blazers.
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The injury occurred as Wembanyama, 22, worked to dribble around Jrue Holiday. As Wemby went to spin around, he stepped on Holiday's foot. This caused him to stumble and fall.
Wemby threw the ball to the side, but he could not get his hands down in time to brace himself. His face bounced off the court, and he slid across the floor.
Victor Wembanyama (concussion protocol) is OUT for the remainder of the game after hitting his head on the court. pic.twitter.com/qP8tAf6osN
— NBA on NBC and Peacock (@NBAonNBC) April 22, 2026
He remained prone for a significant amount of time before ultimately trying to rise to his seats. He began to fall again, so he shifted his weight and moved into a seated position.
The Spurs ruled Wemby out with a concussion as the game continued. The team ultimately lost to the Trail Blazers 106-103.
"I just know he has a concussion and he's in the protocol," Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said after the game. "We'll obviously take the proper and appropriate steps."
Johnson added that the team is not evaluating Wemby for any other injury.
The timing of the injury could affect the lineup for Friday night's playoff game in Portland, Oregon. The NBA's Concussion Protocol states that a player diagnosed with a concussion can not return to action until 48 hours have passed. They must also complete the required return-to-participation process.
"The return to participation process involves several steps of increasing exertion — from a stationary bike, to jogging, to agility work, to non-contact team drills," the protocol states.
"Each exertion stage must be directly monitored by a member of the team's medical staff. With each step, a focused neurological examination is performed, and a player must be symptom free to move to the next step. If a player is not symptom free after a step, he stops until he is symptom free and begins again at the previous step of the process."
Wemby is a key player for the Spurs. He averaged 25.0 points, 11.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 3.1 blocks, and a steal during the regular season. He had 50 games with multiple blocks. This production helped him become the youngest Defensive Player of the Year and the first unanimous selection.
