Updated April 7, 2026, 8:18 p.m. ET
Is the 65-game rule going to claim another NBA star’s eligibility for individual awards?
In the case of San Antonio Spurs phenom Victor Wembanyama, the latest news is positive.
Wembanyama missed the entire second half of San Antonio’s game Monday, April 6 against the Philadelphia 76ers – an eventual 115-102 Spurs victory – with a left rib contusion.
After the game, Spurs coach Mitch Johnson told reporters that he did not know the status or severity of Wembanyama’s injury.
“I think it would be a positive that he felt he could play the last four-to-five minutes of the half,” Johnson told reporters after the game. “That’s a positive from my perspective, but I have nothing (on his future status).”
Wembanyama underwent testing and imaging Tuesday, April 7 to determine the extent of the injury. Monday night’s game against the Sixers was the first game of a four-game homestand.
Wembanyama appeared to suffer the injury in the second quarter, after he collided near mid-court with 76ers forward Paul George. Wembanyama went down and immediately favored his side. He would go into the locker room briefly, but returned to finish the half.
Later in the second quarter, with 2:56 left to play in the half, Wembanyama made a layup and bumped into Spurs forward Keldon Johnson as he landed. Wembanyama immediately grimaced and labored through the free throw.
Spurs get good news on Wembanyama
Although San Antonio is officially listing Wembanyama as doubtful for Wednesday’s game against the Portland Trail Blazers with a left rib contusion, the Spurs apparently dodged a significant blow.
A person with direct knowledge of the matter told USA TODAY Sports that the team is optimistic about the injury. Wembanyama is experiencing soreness, but there are no long-term concerns for his availability. The hope is that Wembanyama will be available to play Friday, April 10 against the Mavericks or Sunday, April 12 against the Nuggets.
The person spoke under the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly disclose details about Wembanyama’s injury.
This means that, barring a setback, Wembanyama could be in position to qualify for individual awards, since he needs one more appearance of at least 20 minutes to meet the requirements for the 65-game rule.
Report: X-rays on Wembanyama come back negative
According to ESPN, the Spurs are not expecting this to be a major injury for Wembanyama. ESPN also reported that X-rays taken at the Frost Bank Center Monday, April 6 came back negative and that Wembanyama would continue to undergo testing Tuesday.
What does Victor Wembanyama’s injury mean for his MVP and DPoY eligibility?
In short: Wembanyama needs to appear in at least one of San Antonio’s remaining three games, and he needs to play at least 20 minutes to meet the 65-game threshold required for individual awards eligibility.
Technically, and even though he played just 15:40 against the 76ers, Wembanyama officially played his 63rd game of the season. The 65-game rule stipulates that a player needs to play at least 20 minutes in each game to be eligible, but the NBA has two “near-miss” exceptions for when a player records between 15 and 20 minutes in a game. Monday night will go down as Wembanyama’s second exception, after he played just 17:18 in a Dec. 18 victory over the Washington Wizards.
In addition, and even though the stats from the NBA Cup Championship do not count toward his season totals, Wembanyama’s participation in the final does count toward the 65-game rule.
All of which puts him at 64 games for this season and necessitates that final 20-minute performance.
- Wednesday, April 8: vs. Portland Trail Blazers
- Friday, April 10: vs. Dallas Mavericks
- Sunday, April 12: vs. Denver Nuggets
What does Victor Wembanyama’s injury mean for the Spurs?
With the news that San Antonio believes the injury is minor, the Spurs can breathe a sigh of relief. Wembanyama is one of the top five players in the world, so any time he would miss would come as a blow.
If it turns out to be a game or two, however, the Spurs will gladly accept that outcome.
Wembanyama’s dominance on defense completely changes the way opponents can attack San Antonio. His length and versatility on offense make him a singular, three-level scorer.
All that said, the Spurs are a deep and talented team, one that is well-positioned to weather a short-term absence; thus far in the 2025-26 season, San Antonio is 11-5 in games Wembanyama has missed.
If Wembanyama misses Wednesday’s game against Portland, backup Luke Kornet would presumably start in his place. Furthermore, even more responsibility would be placed on guards Stephon Castle and De’Aaron Fox.
Victor Wembanyama stats
In 63 games this season, Wembanyama is averaging 24.8 points, 11.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists and an NBA-high 3.1 blocks per game. His rebounding average is tied for fourth-most in the NBA this year.