Victor Wembanyama Concussion: Possible Return Timeline Emerges

San Antonio Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama suffered a head injury during the second quarter of Tuesday night’s Game 2 matchup against the Portland Trail Blazers. The 7-foot-4 Frenchman slammed his chin against the floor after a hard fall at the Frost Bank Center, appearing to be briefly knocked unconscious.

After sitting up dazed, Wembanyama ran straight back to the locker room and did not return in the Spurs’ 106-103 loss.

Wembanyama was diagnosed with a concussion and placed under concussion protocol, casting doubt over his future for San Antonio’s first-round series against Portland.

According to NBA rule, a player under concussion protocol cannot return to full participation until at least 48 hours after the time of injury. The player can resume gradual activity after 24 hours as long as symptoms don’t worsen.

Wembanyama will need to hit several symptom-free benchmarks before he’s cleared to play by a team doctor and the NBA protocol director.

The Spurs tipoff against the Trail Blazers in Portland for Game 3 on Friday night, roughly 72 hours after Wembanyama’s diagnosed concussion. In theory, the MVP candidate could return for that game - but it’s highly unlikely.

According to injury expert Jeff Stotts, the average time missed for an NBA concussion is 9.3 days (median 7 days). If Wembanyama is on par with this timeline, his earliest return would be for a Game 5 matchup in San Antonio on April 28.

Wembanyama made a historic playoff debut in the Spurs’ Game 1 victory, recording 35 points on 5/6 shooting from behind the 3-point arc.

Now, the series is tied 1-1 as the teams travel to Portland for Game 3 - which will tipoff at 10:30 p.m. ET on Friday.

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This story was originally published April 22, 2026 at 9:16 AM.