PORTLAND, Ore. — Victor Wembanyama participated in the San Antonio Spurs shootaround on Friday, and he is listed as questionable (concussion protocol) for Friday night’s Game 3 against the Portland Trail Blazers.
The Spurs’ All-Star fell face-first on the floor in the second quarter of the team’s 106-103 loss in Game 2 on Tuesday evening, staying on the ground for a minute before running back to the locker room. He was later diagnosed with a concussion and was out for the remainder of the game as the Blazers tied the best-of-seven series at 1-1.
Wembanyama was seen at Spurs practice Thursday in a hoodie, walking around and taking close-range shots, but showed notable progression in his activity Friday. He was a full-go in the typical pedestrian shooting drills players do the morning before the game.
He can potentially be cleared in time for a 7:30 p.m. local time tip-off, though that would be a surprisingly fast return for a franchise that is notoriously cautious with its players. The Spurs medical staff has been vigilant with Wembanyama’s health this season, and the league’s protocol is designed to mitigate the risk of a player experiencing a repeat concussion while they are still in recovery, which can be dangerous. Considering Wembanyama plays aggressively and hits the floor frequently, his return certainly carries more risk than many players.
Before he can play, Wembanyama has to complete a “return to participation” exertion process, which may include the shooting seen at shootaround. The exertion process includes work on a stationary bike, jogging, agility work and non-contact team drills, followed by an examination by team doctors in conjunction with the NBA’s director of the concussion protocol.
“It’s pretty straightforward,” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said before the Spurs traveled to Portland. “Obviously, we hope he’ll be back at some point. But we’ll allow the protocol to play out. And again, there’s nothing more important than his health.”
Wembanyama was getting up shots and smiling while talking to teammates and coaches at the conclusion of shootaround. Shortly after Luke Kornet and Dylan Harper spoke to the media, the Spurs PR staff asked reporters to leave.
The Spurs are 12-7 without Wembanyama this season, including the Game 2 loss.
“We played (the Blazers) three times without Victor,” said Kornet, Wembanyama’s backup at center. “We played a decent amount of games (without him), so I feel like you have those reps and you kind of know what the team looks like and different people take on different responsibilities.”
Wembanyama’s teammates were pleased with his progress, as Harper said Wembanyama looks “really good.”
“I think he’s progressing every day, and he’s progressing well,” Harper said Friday morning. “All we can really do is pray for him and just hope the trajectory he’s going in just keeps happening.”
