- San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama will miss the remainder of the season with a blood clot in his shoulder. The 21-year-old from France was averaging 24 points per game.
- Wembanyama was diagnosed upon his return from the All-Star game in San Francisco.
- The Spurs had already surpassed last season’s win total and were pushing for a playoff spot.
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The San Antonio Spurs say superstar center Victor Wembanyama will miss the rest of the season with what the team called a blood clot in his shoulder. The team posted a statement on social media Thursday, Feb. 20, announcing the injury.
The team said Wembanyama has been diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis. The condition was discovered upon his return from the All-Star break.
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Deep vein thrombosis is commonly referred to as a blood clot. Doctors typically treat it with blood-thinning medication, which doesn’t allow a patient to participate in contact sports.
How was Wembanyama’s All-Star weekend?
The 21-year-old from France was one of the stars of the show in San Francisco, competing in all three days of events and showed no signs of the injury. He finished with six points and four rebounds in a semi-final win and had eleven points and three rebounds in the All-Star game final loss.
Asked if he would take some time off to rest, he laughed and said, “48 hours, that’s it.” Then he talked about raising the level of play in the All-Star game.
“I was in much better shape this year than I was last year, my body is adapted to this league and this rhythm,” Wembanyama said. “So, my biggest takeaway is that it’s possible to give 100% on that court, to play hard, to play your ass off. For me, it’s the only way to play basketball and I think it will make the game better”
What does his injury mean for the Spurs?
His loss on the court is a huge blow for the Spurs. The team had already surpassed last season’s win total of 22 games. The Spurs were also pushing for one of the NBA’s final playoff spots.
Wembanyama averaged 24 points, 11 rebounds and 3 assists per game this season. He was also leading the league in blocked shots.
Veteran guard Chris Paul said he spoke with his friend and is disappointed he won’t be playing the rest of the way.
“Tough, tough more than anything for all of us knowing how much he means to our team but more so knowing how much he means to the game and how much he loves to play,” Paul said.
What is his recovery timeline?
Wembanyama was a favorite to win the league’s Defensive Player of the Year award, but is now ineligible because he will not play the minimum 65 games. The team says he will make a full recovery in time for next season.
