As the Spurs trailed by 16 points, the Hall of Fame coach pulled Wembanyama out with 3:07 left in the fourth quarter. Although the game appeared all but over, the Silver and Black went on a run, cutting the Grizzlies' lead to 11.
With 1:46 left and the Spurs on a run, the 19-year-old walked past Popovich and checked himself into the game. Wembanyama then dunked on Grizzlies' forward Jaren Jackson Jr., cutting the lead to 8. Despite the dunk, Popovich pulled out Wembanyama with 1:10 to go.
"I just talk to the coach, and I say, 'Yeah, I played 25 minutes already. What is two more?'" Wembanyama told reporters after the game. "Looking back, I understand their point of view, but at the moment, it's frustrating."
Wembanyama continued: "I wasn't allowed to sub in, but I still did it, and the coach sent me out right after."
The 7-foot-3 French phenom has been playing limited minutes since developing right ankle soreness on Dec. 19. He re-injured the same ankle after being accidentally tripped by a ball boy before the Spurs' Dec. 23 matchup against the Mavericks.
"In a certain amount of time, we will take more pictures and that will determine whether the minutes thing changes or not," Popovich said on Tuesday. "It is the same [number of minutes] every night. I think we were a minute off tonight. Twenty-four minutes is the deal."
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