In a major relief for the San Antonio Spurs, rookie sensation Victor Wembanyama will not face any additional punishment from the NBA for his elbow incident in Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals. According to a league source who spoke on condition of anonymity, the French phenom is cleared to suit up for Tuesday's pivotal Game 5 in San Antonio, with the series knotted at two games apiece.
The drama unfolded Sunday night when Wembanyama, fighting for a rebound early in the second quarter, got tangled with Minnesota's Naz Reid and Jaden McDaniels. As he swung his arms to free himself, his elbow caught Reid square in the face. Officials reviewed the play and upgraded the foul to a Flagrant 2, resulting in an automatic ejection—the first of Wembanyama's young career.
Interestingly, TV cameras caught the 7-foot-4 star on the bench after the call, appearing to ask his teammates what exactly a Flagrant 2 meant. It was a rare moment of on-court confusion for the usually unflappable rookie, who has taken the league by storm this season as the unanimous Defensive Player of the Year and an MVP finalist.
Spurs coach Mitch Johnson didn't hold back in his postgame defense of his star player. "He gets hit on every play," Johnson said. "At some level, you have to protect yourself. Every single play on every part of the floor, people are trying to impose their physicality on him. At some stage, he should be protected, and if not, he's going to have to protect himself. Unfortunately, stuff like that happens."
The NBA typically reviews all flagrant and technical fouls after games and can upgrade, downgrade, or rescind them. In this case, the league decided to let Sunday's call stand, meaning Wembanyama dodges a potential suspension that could have swung the series. According to Sportradar, this was just the third flagrant foul of his career—a testament to his typically clean style of play.
With Wembanyama back in the lineup, the Spurs will look to grab a 3-2 series lead on their home court. The rookie's availability keeps San Antonio's championship hopes firmly alive in what's shaping up to be a classic playoff battle.