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San Antonio Spurs phenom Victor Wembanyama was ruled out of Game 2 against the Portland Trail Blazers after being placed in concussion protocol.
Wembanyama was out of shape after hitting the field first in the second quarter. This season’s NBA Defensive Player of the Year was fouled by Blazers guard Jrue Holiday, and Wembanyama couldn’t prepare for his fall as his jaw hit the hardwood and play stopped midway through the quarter.
After remaining on the field for a while, Wembanyama took a sitting position while coach Mitch Johnson called a timeout to check on his big man.
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Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs holds his head after falling to the court during the first half of Game 2 of the NBA Western Conference first round playoffs against the Portland Trailblazers at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas on April 21, 2026. (Ronald Cortés/Getty Images)
Although he appeared dazed at first, Wembanyama managed to get up and ran down the tunnel to get further evaluation in the locker room. However, the Spurs announced that he would not return to play due to protocol.
The Spurs, who won Game 1 of the first-round series, look to extend their advantage in the best-of-seven game against the Blazers. But doing that without Wembanyama, who led the team with 35 points in the Game 1 win, isn’t ideal for the Spurs.
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But it’s hard not to look to the future, both for the team and the fans. Being put through the concussion protocol means having to go through all checkpoints while recovering before returning to the field.
San Antonio is scheduled to play Portland for the first time in this series on Friday night, with a 10:30 p.m. tip-off for Game 3. Fortunately for Wembanyama and the Spurs, that gives him a few days to potentially check off the boxes needed to play.
San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama reacts alongside guard Dylan Harper after falling to the ground during the first half of Game 2 of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs against the Portland Trail Blazers at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas on April 21, 2026. (Scott Wachter/Imagn Images)
This is the Spurs’ first trip to the playoffs since 2019, and Wembanyama, an MVP runner-up, played a big role in helping the team achieve success in the regular season, enough to earn the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference with a 62-20 record.
Wembanyama was also just named the league’s Defensive Player of the Year, marking the first time anyone has unanimously won the title and also being the youngest to win the prestigious award.
The 7-foot-4 Frenchman earned all 100 first-place votes, while Chet Holmgren of the Oklahoma City Thunder finished with 76 second-place votes. Detroit Pistons guard Ausar Thompson finished in third place when the ballots were counted.
Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs holds his head after falling during the first half of the second game against the Portland Trailblazers in the NBA Western Conference first round playoffs at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas on April 21, 2026. (Ronald Cortés/Getty Images)
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Former Detroit Piston Ben Wallace moved closer to winning unanimous Defensive Player of the Year in 2001-02, with just four fewer votes in a 120-person panel.
Wembanyama averaged 25 points, 11.5 rebounds and a league-high 3.1 blocks this season.
