The NBA world received a heartbreaking update right out of the All-Star break when the San Antonio Spurs announced that Victor Wembanyama would be out for the season after being diagnosed with a deep vein thrombosis in his right shoulder.
Immediately, fans feared the worst, with players like Chris Bosh losing their entire careers due to the same complication. However, another NBA star, in the same rookie class as Wembanyama, gave a reassuring message that might ease some fans’ worries about the future of one of the most promising stars in the league.
Ausar Thompson Gives Hope to Victor Wembanyama and Fans
Since Bosh, the issue of blood clots has become more commonplace in the NBA. Stars like Brandon Ingram and Ausar Thompson, alongside role players like Christian Koloko have all suffered from it.
However, unlike Bosh’s case, who had to prematurely retire at age 32 from the sport, all three of those names were able to make it back into the NBA and are currently thriving. Thompson, in particular, doesn’t look like he’s missed a single step.
Last year, his season was cut short when the diagnosis first came through. But Thompson has come back better than ever this season and, through 34 games, is averaging nine points and five rebounds while shooting nearly 54% from the field, in addition to his elite defense.
With Thompson’s case being the most recent, reporters caught up to the Detroit Pistons star to ask about his thoughts on Wembanyama’s ailment. The brother of the Houston Rockets’ Amen Thompson cut a positive figure, hoping for an even quicker recovery for the Frenchman.
“I hope his is faster because they experienced it with two players in short time. So with that, they have a lot more knowledge on it, they know how to treat it better, they know how to get you back on the court faster.”
Detroit Pistons star Ausar Thompson, who was diagnosed with the same season-ending blood clots as Wemby last year, says he hopes the Spurs star’s recovery is faster than his was @mySA pic.twitter.com/cyO4ceNGRO
— 𝚌𝚛𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚕𝚊 🤠 (@cristelajones) February 21, 2025
Before the issue revealed itself during the All-Star break, Wembanyama was on pace for a historic season. Already snagging an All-Star selection, he was averaging a tidy 24.3 points and 11 rebounds while adding close to four blocks per game.
The betting favorite for the Defensive Player of the Year award, Wembanyama was showcasing an offense-altering presence in the paint that was hard to quantify in numbers.
Even though this diagnosis puts him out for the season, there is hope that Wembanyama can return as soon as next season’s training camp. But the Spurs believe it is an isolated incident rather than a recurring theme.
As a result, it might be curable without long-term consequences, making this a minor hurdle rather than a full-blown catastrophe.
