Victor Wembanyama made a dominant return from a concussion on Sunday afternoon, helping the San Antonio Spurs erase an early double-digit deficit to secure a 114-93 win and take a 3-1 lead in the series.
While Wembanyama looked every bit the difference-maker on the court, he was not pleased with the NBA’s handling of his concussion protocol. Matters escalated during the postgame press conference when the audio feed was suddenly cut off, sparking backlash from fans.
NBA World Slams League For Post-Game Victor Wembanyama Incident
Wembanyama entered the league’s concussion protocol on Tuesday after suffering a hard fall early in San Antonio’s 106-103 Game 2 loss. He missed Game 3 and was not cleared to return until Sunday.
After delivering a standout performance, Wembanyama praised the Spurs’ medical staff but expressed frustration with the league.
“The Spurs have done an amazing job. I’m very unhappy about the way the protocol has been handled by other parties. But my staff has been amazing,” Wembanyama said. “I’ve been really healthy starting on day one after the injury. The injury was weird, though. It was funny.”
Later in the postgame press conference, Wembanyama was again asked about the NBA’s concussion protocol. As he began to elaborate on his concerns, the audio abruptly cut off, and the video feed stopped.
The NBA has not issued a statement, and while the incident could have been a technical glitch, many fans were quick to question the timing.
“So the NBA is a clown show and is a communist regime that limits free speech? Wemby was gonna trash the NBA and they cut his mic,” wrote @jacobtheclipper on X.
“LMFAOOOO Wemby was about to start talking trash about that NBA and they IMMEDIATELY cut his microphone OFF,” @HaterReport added.
“They cut his mic at the end, WTF?” @MrBuckBuckNBA posted.
As Wembanyama noted, he felt healthy soon after the injury and hoped to play in Game 3.
However, NBA guidelines required him to wait at least 48 hours before returning to full participation and to meet several benchmarks while remaining symptom-free.
Wembanyama also consulted a neurologist but was not cleared by the league. While he did not explicitly call the decision right or wrong, he described the overall process as disappointing.
“Muting Wemby’s microphone as he criticizes the NBA is such a f**king embarrassment and speaks volumes. I’m sure Silva and the NBA won’t retaliate to this at all!” one user wrote.
“Wemby’s mic got cut off for talking about how the @NBA handled the concussion protocol??? Can’t even speak your mind in this league lmaoo wow,” another user remarked
Despite Wembanyama’s absence, the Spurs managed to win Game 3 thanks to strong performances from Dylan Harper and Stephon Castle, who combined for 60 points in a 120-108 victory.
On Sunday, however, it was Wembanyama who led the way.
After trailing by as many as 19 points in the second quarter, San Antonio mounted a comeback fueled by Wembanyama’s defensive presence. The Spurs outscored the Portland Trail Blazers 73-35 in the second half, including a 13-0 run to start the third quarter.
The French phenom finished with 27 points, 12 rebounds, 3 assists, 4 steals, and 7 blocks, while De’Aaron Fox added a team-high 28 points.
The Spurs now hold a commanding 3-1 series lead as it shifts back to the Frost Bank Center for Game 5.
