Spurs Optimistic Wembanyama Will Return Soon After Bruised Rib

The 22-year-old superstar avoided a serious injury and could play in at least one of the team's final three regular-season games.

Apr. 7, 2026 at 11:38pm

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A fragmented, geometric painting in bold colors representing the physical play and energy of a basketball game, with no recognizable figures or text.A cubist interpretation of the collision between Wembanyama and George that led to the Spurs star's bruised rib.San Antonio Today

Victor Wembanyama left Monday's game against the 76ers at halftime with a bruised rib, but x-rays came back clean and the Spurs are optimistic he will return soon. Wembanyama is listed as doubtful for Wednesday's game against the Trail Blazers, but the team is hopeful he can play in at least one of their final three regular-season contests to meet the 65-game minimum for awards eligibility.

Why it matters

Wembanyama is the frontrunner for Rookie of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, and a spot on the All-NBA First Team. The Spurs are also hoping to make a deep playoff run, so ensuring their young star is healthy is crucial.

The details

Wembanyama got banged up in the second quarter against the 76ers when Paul George hit him while trying to break up a transition play. He went to the locker room but returned to the game and played the final minutes of the first half. Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said the fact that Wembanyama was able to return to the game was a positive sign.

  • Wembanyama left Monday's game against the 76ers at halftime with a bruised rib.
  • X-rays on Wembanyama's rib came back negative on Tuesday.
  • Wembanyama is listed as doubtful for Wednesday's game against the Trail Blazers.
  • The Spurs have three regular-season games remaining, on Friday against the Mavericks and Sunday against the Nuggets.

The players

Victor Wembanyama

A 22-year-old French basketball player who was the first overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft by the San Antonio Spurs.

Mitch Johnson

The head coach of the San Antonio Spurs.

Stephon Castle

A Spurs player who had a triple-double in the win over the 76ers.

Paul George

A player for the 76ers who collided with Wembanyama, causing the rib injury.

Andre Drummond

A 76ers player who collided with Stephon Castle.

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What they’re saying

“I'm told the Spurs are not anticipating this to be a major injury. He underwent x-rays last night on that rib and x-rays for Victor Wembanyama returned negative I'm told. He will be undergoing more testing later today, but there is hope and optimism that those tests will confirm what they felt last night, the anticipation is nothing major.”

— Shams Charania, NBA Insider

“I think it would be a positive that he felt like he could come back, and he played the last four or five minutes of the half. So that's a positive from my perspective, but I have nothing.”

— Mitch Johnson, Head Coach, San Antonio Spurs

“Everything was good with me. I just wanted to go to the back to make sure everything was good. I mean, I felt good as soon as I got soon as I got up, I felt like I could have kept playing. But, yeah, I want to go in the back and make sure.”

— Stephon Castle, Player, San Antonio Spurs

What’s next

The Spurs will continue to monitor Wembanyama's condition and provide updates on his status for the team's final three regular-season games. If he is able to play in at least one of those games, he will meet the 65-game minimum requirement for awards eligibility.

The takeaway

This injury scare for Wembanyama is a reminder of the importance of keeping the young superstar healthy as the Spurs gear up for their first playoff run with him. The team's optimism about the injury being minor is a positive sign, but they will need Wembanyama at full strength if they hope to make a deep postseason run.