San Antonio Spurs phenom Victor Wembanyama missed Game 3 of San Antonio’s first-round series against the Portland Trail Blazers. Will he suit up in Game 4?
Wembanyama suffered a concussion on Tuesday, April 21 when he stumbled on a drive, leading to his face slamming into the court.
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He lay on the floor for a few moments and appeared to lose his balance as he tried to get up. Trainers rushed over to examine him, and Wembanyama eventually rose to his feet and jogged to the locker room. The injury happened in the second quarter, and the Spurs ruled him out for the second half.
The Spurs eventually lost that game, 106-103, though San Antonio bounced back in Game 3 on Friday, April 24 to take a 2-1 series lead.
But with Game 4 scheduled for Sunday, April 26, Wembanyama’s status will loom large ahead of tip-off.
Here’s everything you need to know about the status of Spurs star forward-center Victor Wembanyama:
Is Victor Wembanyama playing tonight vs. Trail Blazers?
In its first Game 4 injury report issued Thursday night, San Antonio listed Wembanyama as questionable, and that designation has continued into Sunday morning. It is still unclear, at this point, if Wembanyama will play.
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There were positive signs, though, that might be pointing to Wembanyama’s return. For one, he put up some shots during the morning shootaround ahead of Friday’s game. Wembanyama was also present on San Antonio’s bench during the game, both of which suggest that he had cleared the initial steps of the concussion protocol.
The Spurs, however, may exercise further caution with their franchise player. Concussions are serious injuries and repetitive concussions can pose long-term risks, including the potential increase of neurodegenerative diseases like Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy.
According to the Mayo Clinic, recovery time from a concussion varies from person-to-person, though “most symptoms resolve in a few days.” In certain cases, however, symptoms can persist for weeks, or even a month, so caution tends to be the standard.
NBA concussion protocol
In order for a player who was diagnosed with a concussion to return to the floor, the following requirements must be met:
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The player is without concussion-related symptoms at rest.
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The player has been evaluated by a physician trained in concussion management.
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The player has successfully completed the league’s return-to-participation exertion process.
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The player’s team physician has had a discuss about the player’s return-to-participation process with Dr. Jeffrey Kutcher, the director of the NBA’s concussion program. Only then, will the player’s team physician make the final determination on return to play.
Victor Wembanyama reacts after falling to the ground during Game 2 against the Trail Blazers.
Victor Wembanyama stats
In 64 games this season, Wembanyama averaged 25.0 points, 11.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 3.1 blocks per game.
Spurs vs. Trail Blazers: How to watch Game 4
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Location: Moda Center (Portland, Oregon)
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Time: 3:30 pm. ET (12:30 p.m. PT)
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Victor Wembanyama injury update: Spurs star’s status for Game 4