The San Antonio Spurs’ dreams and hopes came to a crashing halt. Whether a permanent roadblock or a harsh speed bump remains to be seen. However, it has dealt a massive blow to the team and the league as a whole.
Already pegged as the future of the NBA and the sport itself, Victor Wembanyama going down for the season with a deep vein thrombosis has massive consequences, even beyond the 94 feet of the court. But what is this injury?
What Is Deep Vein Thrombosis?
Mayo Clinic describes a deep vein thrombosis (DVT) as “a blood clot (thrombus) formed in one or more of the deep veins in the body.”
Typically found in the leg, it leads to throbbing pain and can turn incredibly dangerous if left unattended. Throughout NBA history, there have been instances of players suffering from it.
Chris Bosh, right after the legendary run with the Big Three in Miami, was diagnosed with a similar issue. While it seemed like the problem would go away, it ultimately led to the premature retirement of one of the best power forwards in the game at the time.
More recently, Brandon Ingram went through a similar struggle. However, in his case, a full recovery was possible, and he’s back on the court, currently for the Toronto Raptors.
As a result, it’s hard to describe exactly how severe the case for Wembanyama is. But, according to the official update by the Spurs, the French sensation is expected to miss the remainder of this season, at the very least. Here’s what they said:
“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.
“Wembanyama is expected to miss the remainder of the 2024-25 regular season. The team will provide updates as appropriate.”
What Is the Treatment and Timeline for a DVT?
The main treatment for DVT is of two kinds. The more complex version is through surgery, which removes the clot or stops its formation in the first place. The second, simpler method is one that NBA fans might be familiar with.
Through the use of blood-thinning medicines, such as warfarin or rivaroxaban, the situation is resolved slowly but steadily. However, the timeline can deeply vary depending on the cause of the clot in the first place.
For Ingram, the medicines stopped relatively quickly, and he was able to make a return to the court. However, for Bosh, the situation turned out to be far worse. His problems with blood clots were recurring, even reaching his lungs. As a result, Bosh ultimately had to retire and is still on the medications.
More recently, sophomore Ausar Thompson had to end his rookie season early, but he’s since made a full recovery and is back on the court already. Similarly, Christian Koloko missed time in 2023 as well with the issue but is back on the court again.
In Wembanyama’s case, it does look like the future is leaning toward the optimistic side. The Spurs believe that the incident was an isolated one, raising their hopes of the reigning Rookie of the Year making a full recovery.
Optimistically, a return as soon as next season could be on the cards. With the situation caught early, it might have been a blessing in disguise for the 7-foot-4 superstar, as it could have turned into a life-threatening pulmonary embolism.
