NBA: Injured ankle forces Victor Wembanyama to miss clash against Giannis Antetokounmpo

French center Victor Wembanyama of the Spurs, who is expected to make a swift return to the NBA courts, will be absent for his first encounter against Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks this Tuesday.

The Spurs, currently at the bottom of the Western Conference with 21 losses in 25 games, will have to face this challenge without their main hope, Wembanyama. The 19-year-old rookie, the top pick in the 2023 draft, is sidelined due to ankle pain, as confirmed by the Spurs.

 Despite this setback, Wembanyama is anticipated to return for the game against the Chicago Bulls on Thursday or the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday.

This marks only his second missed game of the season. In his absence on Sunday, the Spurs suffered a heavy defeat against the New Orleans Pelicans (110-146), despite Wembanyama’s impressive individual performance.

 With an average of 19 points and 11 rebounds per game in 24 matches this season, “Wemby” has been a consistent double-double contributor, but San Antonio is on a challenging streak with 18 consecutive losses.