The San Antonio Spurs have been very underwhelming this season, but rookie sensation Victor Wembanyama has dominated the spotlight around the NBA. A 7'4″ big man who plays and moves like a guard out on the perimeter, Wemby is truly a one-of-a-kind talent. Recording three straight games with at least 20 points and nine rebounds, Wembanyama is beginning to find his groove. However, his progress may be halted on Thursday night when the Spurs host the Atlanta Hawks, especially since San Antonio's star finds himself on the injury report. This has led many to ask: Is Victor Wembanyama playing tonight vs. the Hawks?
Victor Wembanyama injury status vs. Hawks
The Spurs are young team that is still developing in the Western Conference. While they certainly have some growing talents with Victor Wembanyama, Keldon Johnson, and Devin Vassell, the Spurs simply need time to reach their full potential.
Having Wembanyama on the roster obviously helps the Spurs, as he is such a unique talent that can do many things to help impact winning. However, his absence could spell trouble for San Antonio on Thursday night, as the Hawks have a lot of athletes and size on their roster.
Wembanyama is currently listed as questionable to play against Atlanta due to right hip tightness. The Spurs have been careful with their rookie's minutes early on this season and have not been pushing him too much. If he is held out of this contest, it could be due to San Antonio getting him a little extra rest to make sure Wemby is 100 percent for their next game. The good news for Wembanyama and the Spurs is that this does not appear to be a serious injury.
Through the first 17 games of his rookie season, Wembanyama has been fantastic, averaging 19.2 points and 9.5 rebounds per game while also blocking an average 2.6 shots per game. Wembanyama has recorded 22 points in each of his last three games and has shot 45.8 percent from the floor in this span.
Should the Spurs' rookie be unable to go, the team will likely give more minutes to Cedi Osman and Doug McDermott off the bench. Tre Jones or Malaki Branham would likely start in Wembanyama's place, with Keldon Johnson sliding over to the power forward position.
So, when it comes to the question of if Victor Wembanyama is playing tonight vs. the Hawks, the answer seems to be 50-50 right now with no clear indication of if the Spurs are leaning on way or the other.