Victor Wembanyama will be sidelined for at least two weeks after an MRI on Sunday confirmed a left calf strain sustained in Friday night’s loss to Golden State, the San Antonio Spurs announced. The 21-year-old All-Star was examined again after the team initially described the issue as calf tightness; a league source said the player will be re-evaluated in two to three weeks. The injury mirrors the same calf strain rookie Dylan Harper suffered on Nov. 2 in Phoenix, which has kept the No. 2 overall pick out indefinitely. Meanwhile, guard Stephon Castle left Sunday’s game with left-hip soreness and is considered day-to-day as the Spurs adjust rotations.
Key Takeaways
- Wembanyama confirmed to have a left calf strain after an MRI on Sunday following a Friday injury in Golden State.
- The Spurs say the 21-year-old will be rechecked in two to three weeks; official team release promised ongoing updates.
- Wembanyama leads San Antonio with 26.2 points, 12.9 rebounds and a league-high 3.6 blocks per game this season.
- Rookie Dylan Harper suffered the same calf injury on Nov. 2 in Phoenix and remains sidelined indefinitely.
- Guard Stephon Castle exited Sunday’s game with left-hip soreness; he averages 17.3 points and a team-best 7.5 assists this season.
- De’Aaron Fox posted season highs with 28 points (11 of 20) and 11 assists as the Spurs used balanced scoring and 38 team assists to compensate.
Background
The Spurs entered the season building around Wembanyama as their primary two-way star; his statistical output—26.2 points, 12.9 rebounds and 3.6 blocks per game—has underpinned San Antonio’s offense and interior defense. Given his central role at age 21, any absence carries outsized effects on rotations, matchup planning and defensive rim protection. The team has already seen a similar setback this month when rookie Dylan Harper sustained a calf injury on Nov. 2 in Phoenix and was placed on an indefinite recovery timeline. Medical staff and front office sources have emphasized caution with soft-tissue injuries—especially for young players whose long-term development is a priority.
San Antonio’s coaching staff faces an immediate roster challenge: replace Wembanyama’s minutes on both ends while preserving his long-term health. That task is compounded by Stephon Castle’s hip soreness, which forced him out of Sunday’s game and left his availability for Tuesday’s matchup unclear. The Spurs’ leadership, including President of Basketball Operations Gregg Popovich—who remains active with the franchise after retiring from coaching—has signaled a conservative approach to injuries since last season’s health events in the organization.
Main Event
The left calf issue first appeared Friday night in the Spurs’ road loss to the Golden State Warriors. The team initially described the problem as tightness, but after Wembanyama underwent an MRI on Sunday, the scan showed a calf strain requiring a minimum two-week absence. The club released a statement confirming the injury and saying updates would follow; a league source later said formal re-evaluation is expected in two to three weeks.
Coach Mitch Johnson indicated Wembanyama would likely miss the next game and stressed that the team would not rush the star center back. Johnson also noted the player’s eagerness to return but framed the decision around medical risk: the staff prioritized recovery over short-term roster gain. With Wembanyama out, De’Aaron Fox assumed heavier ball-handling and playmaking responsibilities in Sunday’s contest, producing a season-high 28 points and 11 assists while shot distribution diversified across the roster.
Stephon Castle, the 2025 NBA Rookie of the Year, exited Sunday’s game in the first half after experiencing left-hip soreness. He told an Express-News reporter in the locker room that the issue felt like soreness and could not specify when it started. The Spurs listed him as not returning to the contest; he had logged 16 minutes with four points and five assists before leaving. The team is monitoring both injuries as it prepares for upcoming games and will adjust lineups and minutes accordingly.
Analysis & Implications
Wembanyama’s absence removes the Spurs’ primary rim deterrent and interior scoring option, forcing a tactical shift. Offensively, San Antonio will need to rely more on perimeter play and ball movement—roles De’Aaron Fox and veterans like Harrison Barnes filled on Sunday—to sustain scoring output. Defensively, the team must find ways to replace 3.6 blocks per game and altered defensive spacing; this can increase opponent paint attempts and put additional pressure on perimeter defenders.
From a minutes-distribution standpoint, expect increased time for guards and wings and heavier usage of rotation bigs. That will test San Antonio’s depth, particularly if Castle’s hip limits his availability. Coaching staff will likely stagger minutes to avoid overtaxing secondary defenders while preserving matchup flexibility late in games. The front office’s long-term priority remains Wembanyama’s development and durability, so a conservative timetable is consistent with broader organizational strategy.
Leaguewide implications are modest but measurable: opponents who prepare to face the Spurs must now game-plan for an interior that lacks Wembanyama’s shot-altering presence. This may produce short-term wins for teams that attack the paint aggressively, while San Antonio hopes its pace-and-space offense—highlighted by 38 assists on Sunday—can offset defensive gaps. The re-evaluation in two to three weeks will be pivotal; it will govern whether the injury remains a short interruption or evolves into a longer setback.
Comparison & Data
| Player / Stat | Points | Rebounds | Blocks | Assists |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Victor Wembanyama (season) | 26.2 | 12.9 | 3.6 | 4.0 |
| Stephon Castle (season) | 17.3 | 5.8 | — | 7.5 |
| Sunday (team) | Balanced; seven players in double figures | — | — | 38 team assists |
The table illustrates Wembanyama’s outsized defensive impact relative to rostermates and Castle’s role as a primary creator. Sunday’s game underlined San Antonio’s capacity for collective scoring—seven players in double figures and a season-high 38 assists—but the loss of Wembanyama’s rim protection is not fully captured by box-score assists or points. The Spurs will need to combine ball movement with tactical defensive adjustments to manage the absence.
Reactions & Quotes
The coaching staff emphasized caution in public remarks, framing the decision as health-first rather than timetable-driven.
“I know he’s champing at the bit, but with calf tightness … we’re not going to risk it.”
Mitch Johnson, Spurs coach (postgame)
Players noted the need for role flexibility and for teammates to step up when key contributors are unavailable.
“I try to stay aggressive regardless of who’s out there. We had a group of guys that all stepped up.”
De’Aaron Fox, Spurs guard
Outside the injury news, franchise leaders continued to receive public recognition for community and leadership initiatives.
“Pop was absolutely tremendous.”
Sean Elliott, former Spurs player (on Gregg Popovich’s Trinity appearance)
Unconfirmed
- The precise grade of Wembanyama’s calf strain beyond the team MRI result has not been publicly disclosed.
- The exact date he will return to live game action remains undetermined and depends on re-evaluation in two to three weeks.
- It is not clear whether Stephon Castle will be available for the Spurs’ next scheduled game; the team had no detailed update immediately after Sunday’s contest.
Bottom Line
San Antonio faces a short-term competitive challenge without Victor Wembanyama’s scoring and rim protection, but Sunday’s game showed the roster can generate balanced offense when needed. The team’s immediate success will hinge on De’Aaron Fox’s playmaking, bench frontcourt minutes and the medical staff’s ability to manage workloads for Castle and other rotation players. Conservative treatment and re-evaluation in the coming weeks suggest the Spurs prioritize long-term availability over a rapid return.
For fans and analysts, the key watch items are the medical updates at the two- to three-week mark, how the coaching staff reconfigures rotations in the interim, and whether the team’s assist-driven offense can compensate defensively. The next official updates from the Spurs’ medical staff will determine whether this becomes a brief interruption or a longer-term absence.