San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama was assessed a flagrant-2 foul in the second quarter of Sunday's Game 4 matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves after throwing an elbow at Naz Reid.
Victor Wembanyama was given a flagrant 2 for this elbow on Naz Reid. pic.twitter.com/nYszYUspwJ
— NBA on NBC and Peacock (@NBAonNBC) May 11, 2026
Wembanyama was attempting to corral an offensive rebound from Reid and Jaden McDaniels. Once Wembanyama gained possession, he swung his elbow and made contact with Reid's neck and face.
The sequence was reviewed by officials and subsequently upgraded to a flagrant-2 foul.
It's the first ejection of Wembanyama's career.
Wembanyama had four points, four boards, and one assist in 12 minutes before his departure.
While Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson didn't approve of the elbow thrown, he defended his star player's actions postgame.
"It's getting to a point that if the people that are in charge of controlling the game and protecting the physicality of the game don't do that, then at some point he's going to have to protect himself," Johnson said, per Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio-Express News.
Johnson added: "He's going to have to protect himself if they're not ... It's disgusting ... I just think that the amount of physicality that people play with him, at some level you have to protect yourself."
The NBA reviews all flagrant fouls and will determine if further punishment is warranted.
Johnson scoffed at the possibility of Wembanyama being suspended for Game 5.
"There was zero intent, Johnson said. "I think it would be ridiculous,"
Minnesota prevailed 114-109 to even up the second-round series at two games apiece.
