SAN ANTONIO (AP) — French basketball sensation Victor Wembanyama will be absent from Thursday evening’s contest between San Antonio and the Denver Nuggets after experiencing discomfort in his right ankle.
The All-Star player’s status was initially uncertain before team officials made the final decision following his pregame preparation routine.
The towering 7-foot-4 French athlete completed his warmup session approximately 25 minutes ahead of his usual schedule. Following free-throw practice and a consultation with San Antonio’s medical staff, he departed the court.
The Spurs enter the matchup riding an impressive five-game winning streak and boasting a remarkable 16-1 record across their most recent 17 contests, positioning them second in the Western Conference with a 48-17 record. Denver currently holds the fifth position in the West at 40-26.
The French center recently earned Western Conference Player of the Week honors after guiding San Antonio to a perfect 4-0 record during the week concluding March 8. His performance included averages of 26 points, 10.5 rebounds and 4.8 blocks per game.
For postseason award consideration, Wembanyama needs to participate in 13 of San Antonio’s remaining 16 regular season games. League regulations mandate players compete for a minimum of 20 minutes across 65 games during the standard 82-game campaign.
The sophomore star has appeared in 51 contests this season. His total reaches 52 games when including his participation in the NBA Cup Final, which doesn’t impact regular season records or individual statistics but counts toward the 65-game threshold.
Meanwhile, Spurs forward Harrison Barnes returns to action Thursday after missing five consecutive games with a left ankle problem. Barnes had previously maintained a streak of 364 straight game appearances before his recent absence.
