Staff Chuck’s Victor Wembanyama dunks in opposition to Staff Shaq’s Damian Lillard in the course of the championship sport of the 74th NBA All-Star Recreation in San Francisco, Sunday, Feb. 16, 2025. (San Francisco Chronicle by way of AP)
San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama shouldn’t be anticipated to play once more this season after a blood clot situation was present in his proper shoulder, an enormous blow to the league and the second main health-related hit for his crew this season.
Wembanyama’s situation — deep vein thrombosis — was identified this week after he returned from the All-Star Recreation, the Spurs stated Thursday. It’s nearly at all times handled with blood-thinning remedy, which generally precludes a participant from taking part in a contact sport equivalent to basketball.
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Athletes who’re concerned with contact sports activities are sometimes suggested to keep away from utilizing such remedy due to the heightened probability of bleeding.
Wembanyama’s scenario comes about 3 1/2 months after Spurs coach Gregg Popovich had a stroke and was pressured to take a depart from the sideline.
The 7-foot-3 Wembanyama was the league’s rookie of the 12 months final season and the frontrunner to be defensive participant of the 12 months this season. He has already taken 403 3-pointers and blocked 176 pictures this season — no participant in NBA historical past has ever completed a season with these numbers, and Wembanyama did it this 12 months by the All-Star break.
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He’s averaging 24.3 factors, 11 rebounds, 3.8 blocks and three.7 assists; the one different participant to complete a season averaging all that was Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in 1975-76. The Spurs open their post-All-Star schedule later Thursday in Austin, Texas, in opposition to the Phoenix Suns. Wembanyama had been listed as uncertain for that sport due to sickness.
“I’m in shock,” Miami ahead Kevin Love stated when advised of the information shortly after the Spurs introduced Wembanyama’s situation. “Absolute shock.”
Such instances have affected NBA gamers earlier than, together with now-retired Corridor of Famer Chris Bosh — whose profession was minimize brief after he was identified with blood clots.
Some athletes have come again, generally higher than ever, after coping with blood clots.
Serena Williams was identified with the issue referred to as a pulmonary embolism — a clot on the lung — in 2011, and was the dominant ladies’s tennis participant on the planet once more when she returned.
“Scariest factor I ever skilled,” Williams stated months after returning.
Wembanyama was an All-Star for the primary time this season and is extensively thought of the brightest younger star within the sport.
“I’ve seen one quote that he says that no person higher name him previous 9 o’clock at night time as a result of he’s both studying or he’s asleep. I believe that’s tremendous cool. I believe that’s tremendous dope,” Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James stated this previous weekend.
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“That permits you to know the place his thoughts body is at, the place he’s at intellectually, and I believe he’s been nice, clearly, for the franchise with the Spurs. However he’s going to be nice for our league for thus a few years to return.”