Victor Wembanyama is ‘feeling great,’ expects to return from calf injury for NBA Cup – The Athletic
After nearly a month sidelined by a left calf strain, Victor Wembanyama is expected to return for the San Antonio Spurs in Saturday’s NBA Cup semifinal in Las Vegas against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Wembanyama was listed as probable on Friday’s Spurs injury report, but he pronounced himself “ready to go” while talking to reporters on Friday night.
“I’m feeling great,” Wembanyama said during media availability.
Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said he expects Wembanyama to play, adding that the center will be on a minutes restriction, and he anticipates subbing him out of the game early.
Wembanyama felt he and the Spurs staff undertook the right process to get him back on the floor, acknowledging that he may be a little tired from the conditioning work he is still doing to ramp up ahead of Saturday’s game.
“It’s a lot of trust that comes into play both ways. I know I have a chance to be around the best staff in the world, so I trust them very much,” he said. “I have the chance, also, that they trust me because I’ve shown them I know my body and I give them good feedback.”
Johnson acknowledged that Wembanyama was lobbying to play from the day he suffered the injury on Nov. 14, trying to get into a game in Sacramento two days later. The Spurs shut him down and stated they would be abundantly cautious with Wembanyama, which was not easy for him to accept.
“But it’s true if it was only me, I would have came back earlier,” Wembanyama said. “But I think it’s more reasonable to do it (this) way, to listen to them and do as they said. Because, I mean, there was no reason to take (an) inconsiderate risk two days after my injury.”
Wembanyama accepted the advice, but he’s been pushing for clearance for quite some time. Johnson noted that the conversation around Wembanyama’s return has been going on for two weeks.
The Spurs beat the Los Angeles Lakers in Wednesday’s NBA Cup quarterfinal to advance to Las Vegas.
Wembanyama suffered the injury during the Spurs’ game against the Golden State Warriors. San Antonio went 9-3 without their 21-year-old face of the franchise, who averaged 26.2 points, 12.9 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 3.6 blocks in 12 games this season.
Assuming he returns, the Spurs will be fully healthy for the first time this season. It comes just in time for a matchup against the defending champion Thunder, who, at 24-1, have tied the best 25-game start in NBA history.
During the Spurs’ shootaround Wednesday morning before the NBA Cup quarterfinal, Wembanyama tested his calf by jumping on force plates, which measure impact data from a player’s leaping and landing to help determine if they are moving with sufficient impact and any imbalances in the lower body. He and the surrounding staff seemed sufficiently satisfied with the results, a precursor to the Spurs’ medical staff giving him the go-ahead to play.
While Wembanyama has been getting in a warm-up before games this week, it has been a more abridged and lower-intensity routine than usual. The Spurs were adamant that they won’t rush him back, even for a game they have clearly valued.
For the Spurs to get past the Thunder, they will need Wembanyama to blend with the uptempo offense that has thrived without him. The Spurs maintained they wanted to play in transition as much as possible entering the season, but the offense got bogged down at times trying to learn how to play through Wembanyama. Once De’Aaron Fox returned from a hamstring strain and got control of the offense, everything started to fall into place, even without Wembanyama.
“I’ve been really proud,” he said. “Of course, it’s been hard to watch from my couch, but almost every night, they have proven (to) me that I have nothing to worry about.”
He was most proud that the team is playing the brand of basketball they have been aiming for since the start of training camp. Fox’s return has catalyzed their offensive evolution, getting more players involved and into their comfort zones.
It’s why Wembanyama said they are getting closer to “ideal basketball.”
“Everybody has something to eat,” he said. “Everybody can step up at any time. Everybody can take up responsibilities. Everybody trusts their next teammate. It’s just beautiful to see.”
The team will get better with its best player back, but the challenge is to maintain that same energy. Can everyone keep eating when Wembanyama needs so many calories?
If they can make it work, it could be lovely to watch.
