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Victor Wembanyama’s first ejection in his career will not have a suspension included, as the NBA decided not to punish the San Antonio Spurs big man for the elbow he threw at Naz Reid of the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 4 of their Western Conference Semifinals series.
Wembanyama will be available for Game 5 of the series, which is scheduled for Tuesday night, according to ESPN.
Wembanyama originally received an offensive foul after hitting Reid in the face with his elbow while being double-tacked in the corner after securing a rebound. But video review saw the elbow hit Reid in the jaw and neck, sending him to the court.
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Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs watches during the first quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves in game four of the second round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Target Center on May 10, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (David Berding/Getty Images)
Officials announced that Wembanyama’s foul was upgraded to Flagrant 2 for excessive contact above the neck. As a result, it is an automatic expulsion.
The ejection came with just 8:39 left in the second quarter, marking the earliest ejection of an NBA All-Star from a playoff game since 1997-98, according to ESPN Research.
SPURS PHENOMENON VICTOR WEMBANYAMA MAKES NBA HISTORY WITH THE FIRST CAREER DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR AWARD
Wembanyama, an MVP candidate, cannot be replicated on the court for the Spurs, who ultimately lost to the Timberwolves, 114-109, to even the series at two games apiece heading into Game 5.
Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson used his postgame press conference to defend the 7-foot-4 Wembanyama, specifically the level of physicality Wembanyama gets from his opponents during games.
Minnesota Timberwolves center Naz Reid reacts after an injury during the second half of Game 4 of the NBA second-round playoffs against the San Antonio Spurs in Minneapolis on May 10, 2026. (Abbie Parr/AP)
“Just because of the amount of physicality that people play with it, on some level, you have to protect yourself,” he said via ESPN. “Every play, every part of the court, people try to impose their physicality on you. They push him down in transition, running freely. We’re not complaining because we’re just going to play. We don’t really give a shit. But at some point, he’s got to be protected. If not, he’s going to have to protect himself, and unfortunately, things like that happen.
“It’s starting to get sickening in terms of him trying to fight things and be professional and mature and deal with some of that stuff. I’m glad he took matters into his own hands. Not in terms of hitting Naz Reid, but he’s going to have to protect himself if they don’t. And I think it’s sickening.”
Johnson added that there was “no intent” in Wembanyama’s elbow to Reid’s face, believing a Game 5 suspension “would be ridiculous.” But in the end it was always the league’s decision.
San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama walks down the court after committing a flagrant foul that led to his ejection during the first half of Game 4 against the Minnesota Timberwolves in Minneapolis on May 10, 2026. (Abbie Parr/AP)
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In the end, they decided Johnson’s stance was correct, and Wembanyama will be on the court with his teammates in a crucial Game 5 when the series returns to San Antonio on Tuesday night.
