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Victor Wembanyama’s ejection from Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday raised eyebrows – but his head coach didn’t see it that way.
Wembanyama was tossed after catching Timberwolves center Naz Reid with an elbow to the head in the second quarter. It happened while Wembanyama was battling Reid and Minnesota forward Jaden McDaniels for a rebound, and Reid went down hard after the contact. Officials assessed a flagrant 2, which carries an automatic ejection.
Status alert: Victor Wembanyama has been ejected Sunday after being assessed a Flagrant 2 foul. pic.twitter.com/G02YylonQE
— Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) May 11, 2026
San Antonio Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson, speaking at his postgame press conference after the loss, wasn’t critical of his star.
“In general, I do think it’s getting to the 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 [Wembanyama] is going to have to protect himself. We’ve been asking him to do that for a while.”
Johnson acknowledged the call itself was fair. But his frustration ran deeper than one play.
“That call with Naz Reid was OK, and it sounded like the call was warranted. But in terms of the game plan of every single team we’ve faced since [Wembanyama] has been in the league and the physicality that people try to impose on him, and the lack of protection, is really disappointing. At some level, it’s starting to get actually disgusting.”
Wembanyama has a reputation around the league as one of the more soft-spoken players in the game – which made the flagrant foul notable on its own. Johnson didn’t shy away from that either.
“I’m glad he took matters into his own hands. Not in terms of hitting Naz Reid… But he’s going to have to protect himself if [the officials are not going to]. And I think it’s disgusting.”
It’s a clear signal from Johnson and his staff – they want Wembanyama more assertive, and they’re not losing sleep over how that looks to the rest of the league.
