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Victor Wembanyama on his health

The San Antonio Spurs got a much-needed dose of encouragement Wednesday as star center Victor Wembanyama took a small but significant step forward in his recovery from a concussion.

With Game 3 looming on Friday in Portland, the franchise is holding its breath, but for now, there’s cautious optimism surrounding their 7-foot-4 generational talent.

Wembanyama’s Concussion Protocol Progress

Per ESPN’s Shams Charania, Wembanyama was able to report to the Spurs’ facility and participate in cardio work on Wednesday because his symptoms did not worsen.

“I’m told Victor Wembanyama was able to participate in cardio work here late Wednesday because his symptoms didn’t worsen. He wasn’t feeling worse than he did when he suffered that concussion, and as of right now, my understanding is he is hopeful that he’ll be able to travel with the team to Portland on Thursday.”

However, Shams was clear that whether Wembanyama clears concussion protocol in time to play in Game 3 on Friday remains an open question. Under NBA guidelines, a player cannot return to unrestricted activity until 48 hours after being diagnosed, which pushes that window to Thursday night.

Shams also noted: “He has to clear neurological exams every single day, and what we know about the Spurs is they’re going to always err on the side of caution — especially with someone like Victor Wembanyama.”

San Antonio Spurs Face a High-Stakes Situation

The Spurs are already in a precarious position, with the series tied 1-1 after Portland rallied from a 14-point deficit in Game 2 to win 106-103. Wembanyama suffered the concussion in the second quarter of that game. As Shams emphasized: “With concussions, it’s not always a straight line — the Spurs are taking this day by day. We’ll know more on Thursday about whether he’ll be able to play on Friday.”

What Spurs Can Do if Wembanyama Misses Game 3

The​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌ medical facts are much graver than the optimism hints, Doctor Ali Seifi from the University Health Neuro-Intensive Care Unit explained that Wembanyama’s damage could be less apparent but more serious.

On the platform MEDspiration, the injury was studied in depth and it was explained how a fall changes the body moving forward in a straight line into a rotating movement which is the most lethal force operating in concussions, since it is that twisting of axons and not only the squeezing one that causes damage.

Besides, the regular NBA concussion leave lasts for 5-7 days, so the notion of him playing in Game 3 is probably unfair to ​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌expect.

Nevertheless,​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌ the Spurs know what it’s like to be in such a situation. During the regular season, San Antonio was able to run up a 12-6 record without Wembanyama.