Shocking Wembanyama ejection could have been avoided by simple solution

It shouldn't have made it to that point.

Jahlil Williams

May 8, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) in the second half against the Minnesota Timberwolves during game three of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images / Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

Victor Wembanyama just received the first ejection of his career, and it came at the worst possible time. What we witnessed was a true "two-things-can-be-true" scenario. The 7'4" Frenchman shouldn't be throwing his elbows like this was an early 2000s Ludacris video. He elbowed Naz Reid, and a Flagrant 2 was the right call.

On the other hand, if the referees had control of the game from the start, the Spurs wouldn't be in this situation.

The referees' inability to do their jobs led to Wemby's reaction

This series with the Timberwolves has been physical on both sides from the start, but there was something noticeable early in this one, and that was the lack of calls. Neither team received many calls, and while fans love playoff intensity, there are repercussions to allowing blatant fouls to go uncalled.

If you aren't going to police the game the right way, players will take things into their own hands. Minnesota is a desperate team, so you could see the extra level of physicality coming a mile away. That reality should put the refs on high alert, but they decided to go in the other direction.

Wembanyama was fouled twice on the play in question. He was pushed to the ground at least three times, and two of them happened when he was about to leap into the air, making the act more dangerous. There were no whistles blown on any of the plays. What is a player supposed to do when the officials designed to control the game aren't doing their jobs?

Anyone would want to defend themselves as they get tired of being their opponent's punching bag. So, while again, Wemby must do a better job of controlling his limbs and frustration, the whole thing was avoidable if the zebras remembered how to blow into a whistle.

The Spurs will have to figure out how to win this game without him now, but fortunately, they have plenty of experience doing just that. San Antonio was 12-5 in the regular season without the Alien. They'll be annoyed by tonight's developments, but they won't hang their heads. If Minnesota wants to even the series, they'll have to earn it.

Jahlil Williams

Jahlil Williams is the Site Expert for Air Alamo, covering the San Antonio Spurs since 2023. His relentless drive and unique writing style propelled him from contributor to the leader of the Spurs-focused site in less than a year. With a Bachelor of Science in Sportscasting from the Dan Patrick School of Sportscasting at Full Sail University, Jahlil learned how to perform at a high level in every aspect of sports, from writing to production, with direction from industry professionals such as Dan Patrick and Gus Ramsey. He's added WNBA coverage to his resume in 2025, with heavy focus on the Dallas Wings as a credentialed media member.