Wembanyama to miss rest of NBA regular season with blood clot

Table of Contents

San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama is expected to miss the remainder of the NBA season after being diagnosed with a blood clot in his right shoulder, the team announced Thursday.

The Spurs announced in a statement that the 21-year-old French player was diagnosed with a blood clot after returning to San Antonio following his appearance at the All-Star game in San Francisco last Sunday.

The Spurs anticipate that Wembanyama will miss the rest of the 2024-25 regular season," the team said. "We will provide updates as needed.

The announcement brings an early end to another impressive campaign by Wembanyama, who received Rookie of the Year honors last season after being selected first overall in the NBA draft.

"It's tough," San Antonio's experienced point guard Chris Paul said about missing out on Wembanyama, who had been averaging 24.3 points, 11.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and a league-leading 3.8 blocks in 46 games for the Spurs this season.

What's most important to me is how much he matters to our team, but even more so is the impact he has on the game and his passion for playing.

Other NBA players have faced similar health issues. Chris Bosh, a two-time NBA champion with the Miami Heat, was ultimately forced to retire at the age of 32 after experiencing repeated blood clots.

The Detroit Pistons' Ausar Thompson has returned to the court after being sidelined for 33 games this season following a blood clot diagnosis in March of last year. Brandon Ingram, who now plays for the Toronto Raptors, made a full recovery after being diagnosed with a blood clot in his right arm back in 2019.

It's a significant setback for a player who quickly made a lasting impression upon joining the league and is now building on that momentum in his second season.

Wembanyama, who stands at 7 feet 3 inches tall, was selected as a reserve All-Star for the first time.

Minnesota star Anthony Edwards pointed out Wembanyama's rapid growth during All-Star weekend when he was asked if he viewed himself as a candidate for the league's "next face".

Not really," Edwards said, "That's what they've got Wemby for.

The San Antonio Spurs have reportedly indicated that Victor Wembanyama is expected to make a full recovery.

Although the team's statement didn't completely eliminate the possibility of Wembanyama being able to play in the playoffs, the chances of San Antonio making the postseason without him appear to be very low.

The Spurs are in 12th place in the Western Conference, which is currently two spots away from the final spot in the play-in tournament, a position now held by the Golden State Warriors.

Even with the arrival of high-scoring guard De'Aaron Fox from Sacramento at the trade deadline, the Spurs will likely struggle without their star player.

You can't replace Vic.

"I think everyone realizes that basketball is what we do, not who we are," Paul told reporters during San Antonio's practice session before Thursday's game against Phoenix.

So life and everything else is much more significant. However, for us, losing a major part of our team like that is made up for by the team's overall performance.

Trust me, you can't replace Vic," Paul said. "I can't stand on a guy's shoulders and block every shot that comes to the rim.

Besides his basketball skills, it's his charm and the presence he brings into the locker room that I think we'll miss the most.

Wembanyama was playing in the French league about 18 months ago before being chosen as the number one pick in the 2023 NBA draft, which launched him onto the path to worldwide stardom.

He aided France in winning the silver medal at the previous year's Paris Olympics, where they were defeated by the United States in the championship match.

His sophomore season included a trip back to France, where the Spurs split two games in Paris with the Indiana Pacers.

On track to be considered for defensive player of the year, Wembanyama will now not play enough games to be eligible for any major end-of-season awards.

Losing Wembanyama is another setback for the Spurs, following legendary coach Gregg Popovich's November stroke that has left him temporarily out of the team.

Paul emphasized that the Spurs were committed to advancing to the postseason.

That's the plan," he said. "That's absolutely the plan. I know Vic and Pop, they wouldn't have it any other way.

bb/mw