You've probably noticed that the vibe around the San Antonio Spurs is different lately. It’s not just the highlights of seven-foot-four dunks or the impossible "Alien" blocks anymore. People are looking at the box scores with a bit of anxiety. The main question everyone is asking right now: how many games did wemby play this season, and is he actually going to hit that 65-game mark the NBA requires for awards?
Honestly, keeping track of Victor Wembanyama’s availability feels like a part-time job. One night he's putting up a 40-15 masterpiece, and the next, he’s a late scratch because of "knee soreness" or "injury management." As of mid-January 2026, the count is the thing keeping Spurs fans up at night.
The Current Count: Wemby’s 2025-26 Season Totals
Let's get right to the point. Wemby has played 27 games so far this season. Out of those 27 appearances, he’s started 18 of them. If you’re doing the math, that means the Spurs have been playing it incredibly safe. They’ve even brought him off the bench at times—a move that sounds crazy for a franchise cornerstone but makes total sense when you look at the calf and knee issues he's been nursing since the early winter.
His stat line remains ridiculous, though. He’s averaging about 23.9 points, nearly 11 rebounds, and 2.7 blocks. But the games played column is the one that matters for the history books. Last season, the "deep vein thrombosis" scare in his shoulder shut him down after just 46 games. Everyone hoped this year would be the "Iron Man" run, but the Spurs medical staff clearly has other plans.
They are thinking about 2030, not just 2026.
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Why the Number of Games Matters (The 65-Game Rule)
Basically, the NBA is strict now. If you don't play 65 games, you don't exist when it comes to All-NBA teams or Defensive Player of the Year.
Earlier in December, the alarm bells started ringing on Reddit and sports talk radio. At that point, Wemby had only played about 13 games. The math was simple but terrifying for Spurs fans: he could only miss 5 more games for the rest of the season to stay eligible for major awards.
Well, he’s missed more than that now.
He’s already sat out 14 games this season. With the Spurs currently sitting at a 28-13 record—which is actually incredible, by the way—the team is prioritizing the playoffs over a DPOY trophy. They’ve added De'Aaron Fox to the mix, and the chemistry is there, but a healthy Victor in April is worth way more than a trophy in June that says he played a lot of Tuesday nights in November.
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A Quick Look at the Games Played Progression
- Rookie Season (2023-24): 71 games. The gold standard. He was everywhere.
- Sophomore Season (2024-25): 46 games. The "shut down" year due to the shoulder illness.
- Current Season (2025-26): 27 games (as of Jan 17). Currently on pace to finish somewhere in the low 50s if the "management" continues.
The Luke Kornet Factor
It sounds like a joke, doesn't it? But San Antonio signing Luke Kornet to a four-year deal actually changed how much Wemby has to play.
Kornet has been eating up about 24 minutes a night. Because Kornet is actually playing well—averaging around 8.6 points and 6.9 boards—it gives the coaching staff the "permission" to sit Victor. In years past, if Wemby didn't play, the Spurs were a disaster. Now, they have a functional rotation that can actually win a game against a team like the Blazers without their superstar.
The Injury Report: What’s Actually Happening?
Most of the games Wemby missed this year weren't "major" injuries. It’s been a lot of day-to-day stuff.
There was a hyperextended knee in a win against the Knicks that cost him a few starts. Then there were the calf issues that forced the Spurs to limit his workload. He’s currently playing about 29 minutes per game—down from over 33 last year.
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Just this week, on January 15th, he suited up against the Milwaukee Bucks and looked great, dropping 22 points in just 22 minutes. It’s that "per-minute" dominance that's keeping the Spurs in the second seed of the West. They don't need him to play 40 minutes; they just need him to be a wall for 25.
What to Watch Moving Forward
If you're tracking how many games did wemby play this season for fantasy basketball or just because you’re a die-hard fan, you need to watch the "back-to-backs."
The Spurs are almost certainly going to keep him out of one half of every back-to-back set for the rest of the year. It’s annoying for fans who buy tickets, but for the longevity of a 7'4" unicorn, it’s the only move.
Next Steps for Fans and Analysts:
- Check the morning shootaround reports: The Spurs usually don't announce a Wemby scratch until about two hours before tip-off.
- Monitor the Western Conference standings: If the Spurs drop out of the top 4, expect them to play Victor more. If they stay comfortable at #2 or #3, expect more "load management."
- Focus on the "Active" status: Even when he’s listed as active, check for minutes restrictions. A "game played" where he only touches the floor for 18 minutes counts for the season total but might not help your parlay.
The Spurs are playing the long game. We might have to accept that the era of the 82-game superstar is over, especially for guys built like Victor. But as long as those 27 games turned into 20+ wins, San Antonio isn't going to change a thing.