Victor Wembanyama Exits Monday's Game With Rib Injury, Award Eligibility At Risk

He initially subbed out and went to the locker room before returning to the bench with 6:49 left in the first half. Wembanyama then requested a second substitution with 44.3 seconds before intermission and did not return after halftime. Wembanyama logged 15 minutes and 40 seconds, which will count toward postseason award eligibility. Players receive two exceptions to the standard 20-minute requirement, provided they play at least 15 minutes. He finished with 17 points, five rebounds and three blocks. The runaway favorite for NBA Defensive Player of the Year and a legitimate MVP contender, Wembanyama must play at least 20 minutes in one of San Antonio's final three games to preserve his award eligibility. The injury interrupts a dominant stretch for the French center. He had posted at least 30 points and 15 rebounds with three blocks in three consecutive games, tied for the second-longest such streak since blocks were officially tracked in 1973-74, trailing only Shaquille O'Neal's four-game run in 1999, per ESPN Research. Wembanyama entered Monday leading the San Antonio Spurs in scoring (24.9 points per game), rebounds (11.6) and blocks (3.1).