Victor Wembanyama seemed to have avoided becoming the latest casualty! The San Antonio Spurs‘ big man caused concern after a nasty rib collision that sent him to the locker room mid-game on Monday. With stars dropping ahead of the postseason, fears of another setback loomed. But the Spurs fans have a reassuring update on his condition.
Last night, in an evenly poised match-up, the Spurs hosted the Philadelphia 76ers. After an active start, going toe-to-toe against Joel Embiid, Wemby collided with Paul George in a transition run and headed to the locker room clutching his ribs. Although he briefly returned to the floor, he later exited for good with a reported left rib contusion, punching out around 16 minutes into the game for his 17 points and 3 blocks, leaving the fans anxious.
With the Spurs trying to keep their momentum intact, NBA Insider Chris Haynes delivered encouraging news. He reported that Victor Wembanyama returned a clear MRI and avoided serious injury, sharing the update through his X handle. Moreover, the Spurs are expected to list the MVP contender Day-to-Day moving forward.
Sources: San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama (rib contusion) underwent a clean MRI and avoided a serious injury. He will be ruled day-to-day moving forward.
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) April 8, 2026
As an encouraging sign, the Spurs did not look lost without Wembanyama on the floor. Despite his absence in the second half and a strong counterattack from the Sixers, spearheaded by Embiid’s 34 points, the Spurs’ young legs stayed in the hunt.
With key contributions from Stephon Castle and bench support from Keldon Johnson and Dylan Harper, the team secured a 115-102 win.
With only three games remaining in the regular season, the Spurs would look to end it on a high note. They face manageable matchups against the Portland Trail Blazers and Dallas Mavericks before the tough season finale against the Denver Nuggets.
Speaking of MVP honors, an important question arises: will this injury affect Victor Wembanyama’s eligibility?
Is Victor Wembanyama eligible for the MVP award?
Luka Doncic, who surged in the MVP conversation late in the season, saw his eligibility take a hit after falling short of the NBA’s minimum game requirements following a hamstring injury. Victor Wembanyama now finds himself in a similar situation.
With the NBA mandating a minimum of 65 games to qualify for major awards, Wemby has appeared in 63 games so far. Additionally, a player must punch in for at least 20 minutes per game to count fully toward eligibility.
Given that he had played only 16 minutes in the previous outing, the path looks more challenging for the 7 ‘5 center. This only means he has to play all the remaining games to qualify.
Looking back at the recent past, Jarrett Allen suffered a similar rib injury during the 2024 playoffs when an elbow took him down to his rib. He missed a couple of games before returning to the mix. With the risk involved in aggravating the injury right in front of the postseason, should Wemby really risk it all for the MVP award?
