Report: Spurs’ Wembanyama won’t face further discipline after elbowing ejection

The San Antonio Spurs star won’t face any further discipline after he was ejected from Sunday’s Game 4 against the Minnesota Timberwolves for elbowing forward Naz Reid, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported on Monday.

Wembanyama was tossed early in the second quarter when he was swarmed by Reid and Jaden McDaniels after grabbing an offensive rebound following a missed three-pointer. With McDaniels tugging on his left arm, Wembanyama snapped and jabbed his right arm back toward Reid — and struck him square in the neck.

Wembanyama finished the game with four points, four rebounds and three fouls in 13 minutes.

“I’m glad he took matters into his own hands. Not in terms of hitting Naz Reid — by all means, being very clear about that,” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said post-game. “I’m glad Naz Reid is OK, and I didn’t want him to elbow him, but he’s going to have to protect himself.”

Johnson raised a concern beyond simply how the Timberwolves have been playing Wembanyama, who was the first overall pick in the 2023 draft.

“The level of physicality that opponents have been trying to impose on him since his first days in the league, combined with the lack of protection from the referees, is really disappointing,” Johnson said. “And to a certain extent, it’s starting to become downright nauseating.”

The Timberwolves took full advantage of the superstar’s absence, rallying for a 114-109 victory to even the second-round series 2-2.

Game 5 is set for Tuesday back in San Antonio.

— with files from The Associated Press