You need to see this photo of Victor Wembanyama's scratched up arm

The Minnesota Timberwolves have been physical with Victor Wembanyama all series. The scratches on his arm tell the full story.

Fresh cuts and bruises covered Wembanyama's long arm after fighting for paint position and jockeying for rebounds all night against the Timberwolves in Game 3. That was before Sunday's Game 4 even happened.

El brazo de Wemby después de ser defendido por los Timberwolves. https://t.co/izdJaQvlwM pic.twitter.com/fDzTqI5NfL

He battled through all of it to post 39 points, 15 rebounds, and 5 blocks in a 115-108 win. But his body paid a real price.

The scratches became a topic of conversation on social media. Photos shared by Spurs fans online clearly showed multiple scratch marks running across Wembanyama's arm. The images raised serious questions about the level of contact he faces every night.

The 22-year-old phenom was growing weary of the physical play he had been facing from the Timberwolves throughout the series.

"The physicality people try to impose on him and the lack of protection is really disappointing," Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said. "At some level, it's starting to get actually disgusting, just in terms of when he tries to fight through things and be professional and mature and deal with some of that stuff."

Things boiled over in Game 4. Wembanyama was swarmed by Reid and Jaden McDaniels after grabbing an offensive rebound. With McDaniels tugging on his left arm, Wembanyama snapped and jabbed his right arm back toward Reid.

The hit caught Reid on the right side of his jaw and neck area, sending him spinning and crashing to the floor.

"His left arm was being held, and I think everybody's taught [to] chin [the] ball," Spurs guard De'Aaron Fox said. "But those things happen. I think if the foul is called [before that], it probably never happens."

"You could see the frustration," Spurs guard Dylan Harper said. "I don't think it was intentional. It was more like, 'They keep grabbing me. I'm trying to protect myself because ain't no one else going to protect me.'"

Wembanyama's ejection with 8:39 left in the second quarter is the earliest an All-Star has been tossed from a playoff game in the play-by-play era, since 1997-98, according to ESPN Research.

The scratches on his arm are not just marks. They are proof. Wembanyama is fighting for every inch on the floor, and the NBA needs to take notice.

Victor Wembanyama's scratched arm shows the brutal physicality he faces from the Timberwolves in every 2026 NBA Playoff game.

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