Things just got significantly more interesting in the NBA Cup West semifinal.
The San Antonio Spurs are expecting to have phenom Victor Wembanyama back in action for their game Saturday, Dec. 13, against the Oklahoma City Thunder. In an injury report issued Friday, Dec. 12, San Antonio upgraded Wembanyama to probable as he continues to recover from a left calf strain.
This provides a massive boost to San Antonio (17-7), which is looking to upset the defending NBA champions, who have raced out to a historic 24-1 start to the 2025-26 season.
‘I expect Victor to play tomorrow,’ Spurs coach Mitch Johnson told reporters on Friday, Dec. 12. He also said he thinks Wembanyama will be excited but tired early in the game and ‘would expect an early sub and not his normal minutes.”
Wembanyama has missed the last 12 games for San Antonio, after the Spurs announced Nov. 17 that an MRI revealed a left calf strain diagnosis. Wembanyama suffered the injury during an NBA Cup Group C game against the Golden State Warriors on Nov. 14. He finished the game but the Spurs lost by one point.
NBA teams have been cautious this season with calf strain injuries, opting to rest players for extended time out of fears that the injury could potentially be a precursor to more serious ailments, like Achilles ruptures.
Despite missing their star player, the Spurs went 9-3 in the 12 games Wembanyama was out. San Antonio relied on its speedy guards De’Aaron Fox, last year’s Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle and this year’s No. 2 overall pick Dylan Harper to push the ball in transition and get easy buckets.
Wembanyama, 21, is averaging 26.2 points, 12.9 rebounds (ranked first in the NBA), 4.0 assists and 3.6 blocks per game (also first).
San Antonio is currently ranked fifth in the Western Conference, though it has the same record as the Los Angeles Lakers.