The Spurs are set to face the Lakers tonight without Victor Wembanyama, aiming to secure a spot in the NBA Cup semifinals. Before tonight, Wembanyama had missed 10 consecutive games due to a calf strain he suffered against the Warriors.
Since Spurs fans were hoping to see Wembanyama in this epic matchup against Luka Doncic and the Lakers, the reporters inquired with their head coach, Mitch Johnson, about the French star’s imminent return. Unfortunately, he will not be available tonight, but the head coach did have a very positive update.
“It’s an outside narrative in terms of which game would somehow affect a player’s progression or timeline. He’s doing great, he’s getting very, very close. Unfortunately, all the added excitement building to this game is not going to play into the decision of whether he plays or not,” said the Spurs head coach before the Lakers game.
“Yes, he’s getting very close again, just need to see how he responds and reacts, and if we continue to progress, which we feel really good about, hopefully he’ll be out here soon,” said Johnson on whether the Spurs star has progressed to playing five-on-five.
“I think the next step is exactly that, play, see how it feels, and respond, and probably have to do it again… I think at this point it’s about staying disciplined on feeling good about the impact of an NBA game, because whatever five-on-five that we try to replicate is not an NBA game,” Johnson further added on the next steps for Wembanyama.
“A lot, he wants to be out there. He’s always wanted to be out there. Fortunately, we have a great staff, and our medical team does a great job with communicating; everybody’s on the same page. No different than when we tell him to get back on defense or set a screen, he trusts the staff, and we’re all on the same page.”
Mitch Johnson hopes that Victor ignores the external pressures forcing him to make an early return and takes the time he needs to make a full recovery, but he’s inches away from making a return.
It was reported earlier that the Spurs, as a precautionary measure, are the ones asking Wembanyama to stay sidelined while he wants to make a speedy return. But it turns out, he was dealing with a significant problem that needed an extended absence from the court.
Wembanyama has averaged 26.2 points, 12.9 rebounds, and 4.0 assists while shooting 50.2% from the field so far this season. Despite his absence, the Spurs have gone 7-3 over the last 10 games, showcasing the depth of their roster even without their star player.
The French wonderkid started the season in early MVP discussions. But having missed over 10 games in 2025-26, Wembanyama will have to ensure his availability almost throughout the season to still be eligible for a postseason award. Considering that he is expected to miss a few more games, he will be very near the 65-game threshold to be eligible for consideration.
If the Spurs manage to beat the Lakers tonight without him, then San Antonio fans will hope to have him back for the semi-final matchup on Saturday against the winner of the Thunder vs. the Suns.
