Victor Wembanyama will not play on Thursday as the San Antonio Spurs continue a three-game road trip in Sacramento due to a sprained right ankle, the team announced.
Wembanyama returned to San Antonio after facing Houston on Tuesday, according to Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News. The organization took advantage of the proximity of Houston to San Antonio and opted to send him home to be further examined by team doctors.
The No. 1 pick has missed six games this season, including five due to issues with that ankle. The team previously put him on a minute restriction that prevented him from playing in back-to-back games. He has played 21 straight games since last sitting on Jan. 19.
Part of the reason Vic returned to SA was proximity to Houston.
Had he injured the ankle in Sacramento, he would have remained with the team for the remainder of the trip.
— Jeff McDonald (@JMcDonald_SAEN) March 7, 2024
Wembanyama is the front-runner to win Rookie of the Year after averaging 20.7 points, 10.3 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 3.4 blocks and 1.3 steals in 56 games. He leads the rookie class in points, rebounds and blocks and is the only first-year player with four 30-point games.
The 7-footer has put up some rare stat lines, from recording a triple-double with blocks to recording the second-fastest triple-double in history. He recently became the youngest player to record a 5×5 game, with at least five points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks.
The organization has been cautious with Wembanyama this year regarding his workload and injuries and will continue to do so over the last 20 games of the season. The team plays next on Saturday against Golden State, so it is possible Wembanyama could sit in that contest.
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