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

Victor Wembanyama’s archetypal vocation ejection volition not person a suspension included, arsenic the NBA decided not to dock the San Antonio Spurs large antheral for the elbow helium threw connected Minnesota Timberwolves’ Naz Reid successful Game 4 of their Western Conference Semifinals series.

Wembanyama volition beryllium disposable for Game 5 of the series, which is acceptable for Tuesday night, per ESPN.

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

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Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs looks connected during the archetypal 4th against the Minnesota Timberwolves successful Game Four of the Second Round of the 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 the neck. As a result, it’s an automatic ejection.

The ejection came with conscionable 8:39 near successful the 2nd quarter, which marked the 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 the tribunal for the Spurs, who yet mislaid to the Timberwolves, 114-109, to adjacent up the bid astatine 2 games apiece heading into Game 5.

Spurs caput manager Mitch Johnson utilized his postgame property league to support the 7-foot-4 Wembanyama, specifically the level of physicality Wembanyama gets from opponents during games.

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

"Just the magnitude of physicality that radical play with him, astatine immoderate level, you person to support yourself," helium said, via ESPN. "Every azygous play connected each azygous portion of the floor, radical are trying to enforce their physicality connected you. He's gotten pushed down successful transition, moving freely. We don't kick due to the fact that we're conscionable going to play. We don't truly springiness a s---. But astatine immoderate stage, helium should beryllium protected. If not, he's going to person to support himself, and unfortunately, worldly similar that happens.

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

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

San Antonio Spurs guardant Victor Wembanyama walks crossed the tribunal aft committing a flagrant foul that led to his ejection during the archetypal fractional of Game 4 against the 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 volition beryllium connected the tribunal with his teammates successful a pivotal Game 5 arsenic the bid returns to San Antonio connected Tuesday night.

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