Victor Wembanyama
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Victor Wembanyama during a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers in December 2025
When Victor Wembanyama went down with a hyperextended knee on December 31 against the New York Knicks, there was immediate concern across the league about the possibility of a prolonged absence for the San Antonio Spurs’ franchise cornerstone.
Those fears were quickly eased. The 22-year-old missed just two games before returning on a minutes restriction, even appearing in a back-to-back set. His most recent outing came in a 107-91 victory over a LeBron James-less Los Angeles Lakers team on Wednesday night.
Wembanyama finished with 16 points, 14 rebounds, two assists, two steals, and four blocks in only 25 minutes. The performance followed a dominant showing the night before, when he poured in 30 points in just 21 minutes during a narrow loss to the Memphis Grizzlies.
The early signs suggest the knee issue was little more than a minor setback, with the Frenchman quickly re-establishing his impact on both ends of the floor.
Victor Wembanyama Addresses Injury Management
What continues to draw attention is the balance San Antonio must strike between unleashing their generational talent and protecting him from the grind of an NBA season.
Wembanyama has already missed 12 games earlier this year with a left calf strain and has spent much of the season on minutes restrictions, often coming off the bench.
That tension resurfaced following the win over the Lakers, when Wembanyama spoke openly about how the organization has managed his return.
“I feel pretty good, I’m ready to go,” the 7-foot-4 center said postgame. “They have to hold me back sometimes, otherwise I just go crazy”
The comment offered a revealing glimpse into the mindset of a player whose competitive drive consistently pushes against caution, particularly after a stretch that included back-to-back games and lingering injury concerns.
Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson confirmed that Wembanyama’s return was the result of close collaboration between the player and the medical staff.
“He’s put in a lot of work and we’ve seen enough — we being the medical staff specifically — and Victor have seen enough and felt enough to give it a go,” Johnson said, via ClutchPoints.
As for when Wembanyama might be cleared of his minutes restriction, Johnson emphasized patience.
“Every single day that will be the indicators of what ‘next’ looks like,” the Spurs coach said. “We will be extremely mindful of the situation as we have been and will continue to be.”
The message was clear. San Antonio are unwilling to compromise long-term health for short-term gains, regardless of how eager their star may be to stay on the floor.
Spurs Prioritize Long-Term Picture Despite Wembanyama’s Confidence
Even in the immediate aftermath of the injury against New York, Wembanyama projected calm. As he left the court, he repeatedly reassured those around him, saying “I’m fine, I’m fine,” before returning to the bench to celebrate with teammates.
Postgame, he continued to downplay the incident, saying, “I was confident. I was this close to coming back in the game. They had to hold me back. It was just a hyperextension, so it should be minimal. We’ve got to do everything tomorrow still to check that everything’s OK.”
He added, “I expect to be back the next game,” though the Spurs opted for caution, monitoring the knee further despite early tests showing no structural damage.
While classified as a minor hyperextension, the injury still required care. Knee issues can be unpredictable, and recent examples around the league have shown that even seemingly minor problems can linger if mishandled.
Wembanyama’s response to the setback highlights his resilience and confidence, but the responsibility ultimately rests with the organization. San Antonio have made it clear that decisions will be driven by medical evaluations, not competitive impulse.
Through 23 games this season, Wembanyama is averaging 24.2 points in just 29.2 minutes per game, along with 11.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 2.9 blocks, while shooting 52.1% from the field and a 36.2% from three-point range, both career-bests.
The victory over the Lakers pushed the Spurs to 26-11, placing them second in the Western Conference. They sit one game ahead of the Denver Nuggets, two games clear of Los Angeles, and 4.5 games behind the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder, a team San Antonio have already beaten three times this season.