Victor Wembanyama went into 2026 limping, but it may only be a temporary blimp going into the new yr.
The Spurs’ All-Star hobbled off the courtroom after his left knee buckled when he tried to seize a rebound early in the fourth quarter against the Knicks on Wednesday night time.
After the Spurs’ 134-132 win, it was confirmed that Wembanyama hyperextended his knee.
Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs lies on the courtroom in the second half against the New York Knicks at Frost Bank Center on December 31, 2025 in San Antonio, Texas. Getty Images
He underwent assessments that did not discover any other issues, and is set for further examination Thursday.
Despite the early exit, the third-year heart set his intentions clear following the sport.
“I expect to be back the next game,” he said.
After battling for a rebound against Karl-Anthony Towns and Jordan Clarkson under the rim, the 2023-24 Rookie of the Year went down and rapidly grabbed his left knee before Spurs guard Stephon Castle pulled him back to his toes and he retreated to the locker room.
“I was confident. I was this close to coming back in the game,” he added.
“[They] had to hold me back. It was just a hyperextension, so it should be minimal. We’ve got to do everything tomorrow still to check that everything’s OK.”
Before leaving the sport with 10:32 left to play and the Knicks main, 106-92, Wembanyama tallied a double-double with 31 factors and 13 rebounds.
He shot 10-for-12 from the discipline across 24 minutes.
A reassuring signal to the Spurs and the crowd of 18,062 followers was when Wembanyama returned to the bench sporting team warmups with less than two minutes remaining.
Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs lies on the courtroom in the second half against the New York Knicks at Frost Bank Center on December 31, 2025 in San Antonio, Texas. Getty Images
“Have not been able to talk to the medical staff yet, but I think I saw what everybody else saw,” coach Mitch Johnson said. “Obviously, he finished the game on the bench with his teammates. So, I think that made me feel good.”
The Spurs rallied with out their star to hand the Knicks a powerful loss on New Year’s Eve.
Wembanyama, who is taking pictures at a career-high clip from the discipline (52 p.c) and beyond the arc (36 p.c), beforehand sat out for 12 video games this season with a left calf pressure.
He returned for the semifinals of the NBA Cup on Dec. 13 and began off the bench for six video games, easing his manner back onto the courtroom.
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