The NBA world got some unbelievably heartbreaking news right after the All-Star break. An update from the San Antonio Spurs revealed that Victor Wembanyama is dealing with a serious injury. After making his first All-Star appearance and taking a gigantic step toward superstardom this season, this is a massive setback for the generational star.
What happened, and what is the situation moving forward?
What Is Victor Wembanyama’s Injury?
After the All-Star Game, everything seemed to be fine. Wembanyama had a fine first outing in the weekend extravaganza, tallying 17 points, seven rebounds, and even a couple of blocks over the two rounds of the new tournament format.
Coming out of the break, there was optimism that San Antonio might make a playoff push with newly acquired superstar point guard De’Aaron Fox getting added to the system.
However, that has come to a crashing halt. The Spurs revealed the condition Wembanyama is going through in a medical update on their socials.
“The San Antonio Spurs today announced that Victor Wembanyama has been diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis in his right shoulder. The condition was discovered when Wembanyama returned to San Antonio following the All-Star Game in San Francisco.”
Deep vein thrombosis is a kind of blood clot that can be potentially career-ending. A similar issue plagued Chris Bosh in the later stages of his career, leading to the premature retirement of the two-time NBA champion.
However, with the Spurs’ medical team suggesting that the issue is an isolated one, it gives hope that the French sensation can make a full recovery — a la Brandon Ingram from a few seasons ago.
Beyond basketball, too, the 7’4 superstar was exceptionally lucky that the issue was caught before it turned into a pulmonary embolism, which could have even been life-threatening for the youngster.
When Will Wembanyama Return?
The timeline is impossible to predict with the situation last year’s Rookie of the Year is dealing with. In some cases, the DVT stems from a blood-clotting disorder that requires long-term (or lifelong) blood thinners, which is what caused Bosh’s retirement. However, some DVTs are isolated and potentially the result of a long flight, so the player can return (as we saw with Ingram).
Fortunately, San Antonio believes this is an isolated incident and he’ll be able to make a full recovery. Per ESPN’s Shams Charania, the team expects him to recover fully. Appearing on SportsCenter, the senior NBA insider gave the latest on Wembanyama’s health.
Reporting for @SportsCenter on Victor Wembanyama sidelined for the season with what the Spurs believe is an isolated blood clot and will bring full recovery: pic.twitter.com/BWOOJXYl6C
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 20, 2025
“The hope obviously is that there’s no spread, that there’s nothing more here, and that he’s gonna be ready to go for the offseason, and for the 2025-26 season,” he said.
At the very least, Wembanyama won’t return this season. He’ll need to be on blood thinners for several months, and the Spurs made it clear that he is “expected to miss the remainder of the 2024-25 regular season” in their press release.
— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) February 20, 2025
It is a devastating blow for a player many consider the future face of the league. Already an All-Star in Year 2, he was posting some eye-popping numbers, with 24.3 points, 11 rebounds, 3.8 blocks, and 3.7 assists a game.
The betting favorite for the Defensive Player of the Year award, he is now ineligible for any awards and accolades this season, per the new CBA rules. Instead, all hopes and prayers are now directed toward the Frenchman making a speedy and complete recovery.
If the best-case scenario does come to fruition, the Spurs can use the rest of this season to develop their young players and get a high draft pick. But, at the moment, the priority has to be Wembanyama and his health.
