SAN ANTONIO — The San Antonio Spurs missed the presence of center Victor Wembanyama in their Thursday matchup against the Chicago Bulls due to discomfort from a sore lower back.

Acting Spurs coach Mitch Johnson expressed optimism about Wembanyama’s potential return, indicating that they are monitoring his situation closely. “I’d say it’s the definition of day-to-day,” Johnson remarked. “So, hopefully, he wakes up tomorrow feeling a little bit better.”

The Spurs have upcoming games scheduled against the Sacramento Kings on Friday and the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday, and the team is eager to see if Wembanyama can make a quick comeback.

Currently, Wembanyama is leading the Spurs with impressive averages of 23.5 points and 10.4 rebounds per game across 18 games this season.

The 7-foot-3 prodigy from France, who was the first overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, was recently honored as the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Month for the Western Conference.

Wembanyama topped the league in blocked shots, averaging 3.56, and also recorded 1.31 steals during the months of October and November. Notably, his 57 blocks represented nearly 46% of the Spurs’ entire block total, underscoring his vital role in the team’s defensive efforts.