Victor Wembanyama avoids suspension for elbow on Naz Reid, will play in pivotal Game 5

Victor Wembanyama’s first profession ejection will not person a suspension included, arsenic nan NBA decided not to dock nan San Antonio Spurs large man for nan elbow he threw connected Minnesota Timberwolves’ Naz Reid successful Game 4 of their Western Conference Semifinals series.

Wembanyama will beryllium disposable for Game 5 of nan series, which is group for Tuesday night, per ESPN.

Wembanyama was primitively issued an violative foul aft hitting Reid successful nan look pinch his elbow while being double-teamed successful nan area aft securing a rebound. But video reappraisal saw nan elbow deed Reid quadrate successful his jaw and neck, which sent him to nan hardwood.

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Victor Wembanyama #1 of nan San Antonio Spurs looks connected during nan first 4th against nan Minnesota Timberwolves successful Game Four of nan Second Round of nan NBA Western Conference Playoffs astatine Target Center connected May 10, 2026 successful Minneapolis, Minnesota. (David Berding/Getty Images)

Officials announced that Wembanyama’s foul was upgraded to a Flagrant 2 for excessive interaction supra nan neck. As a result, it’s an automatic ejection.

The ejection came pinch conscionable 8:39 near successful nan 2nd quarter, which marked nan earliest an NBA All-Star had been ejected from a playoff crippled since 1997-98, per ESPN Research.

SPURS PHENOM VICTOR WEMBANYAMA MAKES NBA HISTORY WITH FIRST CAREER DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR AWARD

Wembanyama, an MVP candidate, can’t beryllium replicated connected nan tribunal for nan Spurs, who yet mislaid to the Timberwolves, 114-109, to moreover up nan bid astatine 2 games apiece heading into Game 5.

Spurs caput coach Mitch Johnson utilized his postgame property convention to take sides nan 7-foot-4 Wembanyama, specifically nan level of physicality Wembanyama gets from opponents during games.

Minnesota Timberwolves halfway Naz Reid reacts aft an wounded during nan 2nd half of Game 4 of nan NBA second-round playoffs against nan San Antonio Spurs successful Minneapolis connected May 10, 2026. (Abbie Parr/AP)

"Just nan magnitude of physicality that group play pinch him, astatine immoderate level, you person to protect yourself," he said, via ESPN. "Every azygous play connected each azygous portion of nan floor, group are trying to enforce their physicality connected you. He's gotten pushed down successful transition, moving freely. We don't kick because we're conscionable going to play. We don't really springiness a s---. But astatine immoderate stage, he should beryllium protected. If not, he's going to person to protect himself, and unfortunately, worldly for illustration that happens.

"It's starting to get disgusting successful position of erstwhile he tries to conflict done things, beryllium master and mature and woody pinch immoderate of that stuff. I'm gladsome he took matters into his ain hands. Not successful position of hitting Naz Reid, but he's going to person to protect himself if they're not. And I deliberation it's disgusting."

Johnson added that location was "zero intent" connected Wembanyama’s elbow to Reid’s face, believing that a Game 5 suspension "would beryllium ridiculous." But it was ever nan league’s determination successful nan end.

San Antonio Spurs guardant Victor Wembanyama walks crossed nan tribunal aft committing a flagrant foul that led to his ejection during nan first half of Game 4 against nan Minnesota Timberwolves successful Minneapolis connected May 10, 2026. (Abbie Parr/AP)

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Ultimately, they decided Johnson’s stance was correct, and Wembanyama will beryllium connected nan tribunal pinch his teammates successful a pivotal Game 5 arsenic nan bid returns to San Antonio connected Tuesday night.

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