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Victor Wembanyama has received plenty of attention amid his blistering start to the NBA preseason. Wembanyama hasn't been fazed by the extreme hype and expectations and appears to truly be a future superstar. It hasn't been a perfect preseason for the San Antonio Spurs though. There is one specific issue that is currently standing out.
Let's take a look at the one early concern for the Spurs from the 2023-24 NBA preseason
Spurs: Keldon Johnson's hamstring injury
Johnson's hamstring injury has flown under the radar outside of San Antonio amid the Wembanyama hype. San Antonio understands how important of a player Johnson is though, and they are closely monitoring the situation.
Johnson, a 24-year-old guard, is dealing with a hamstring injury and missed Friday's game versus the Miami Heat as a result, via CBS Sports. The injury is not considered to be serious at the moment. However, hamstring injuries can prove to linger.
There is no current timetable for Johnson's return to in-game action. He has been practicing and the Spurs are hopeful he will be ready for the start of the 2023-24 season. At the same time, San Antonio will not rush him back. They would rather Johnson return and be fully healthy rather than risk further injury by bringing him back too soon.
Many people around the NBA world believe Johnson has what it takes to enjoy a breakout 2023-24 campaign. He already has established himself as a potential star in the NBA. Johnson averaged an impressive 22 points per game last season, but shot a fairly inefficient 45.2 percent from the field and 32.9 percent from beyond the arc.
Johnson could boost his points per game average by finding the bottom of the net on a more consistent basis. He should receive plenty of opportunities with defenses being forced to focus on Wembanyama. Johnson has displayed better efficiency in the past, shooting 46.6 percent from the field and 39.8 percent from deep in 2021-22. So he certainly has the ability to find that aforementioned consistency.
Keldon Johnson is currently focused on rehabbing from his injury. Spurs fans will want to be sure to keep tabs on his status with the regular season right around the corner.
On the bright side…
Victor Wembanyama looks incredible. It isn't uncommon for highly-regarded prospects to initially struggle due to all of the pressure. But that hasn't been an issue for Wembanyama.
On Friday, Wembanyama recorded 23 points to go along with four rebounds and four assists in a preseason victory against the Heat. It was an all-around incredible effort that led to a highlight reel dunk.
We can sit here and discuss Wembanyama even more, but there are other players on this Spurs squad performing well.
Devin Vassell poured in 21 points and added three assists in the game. He's looked sharp for the most part and is another breakout candidate.
Zach Collins is averaging 15 points and five rebounds per game so far in the preseason in just 22.7 minutes per contest. Collins is an interesting player and could play a big role for San Antonio this year.
The Spurs may not be ready to contend for an NBA Finals appearance. With that being said, there is a lot of reason for optimism around this team as fans look toward the future. San Antonio has built and developed a quality core of players led by Gregg Popovich.
It will be exciting to follow the Spurs throughout the 2023-24 season.
We will monitor and provide updates on Keldon Johnson's injury status as they are made available.
