Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama officially ruled out for the season
In a stunning move, the San Antonio Spurs shut down star big man Victor Wembanyama for the rest of the 2024-25 season due to deep vein thrombosis in his right shoulder.
The condition, a form of a blood clot, was discovered after Wembanyama returned to the team following the All-Star break. He reportedly experienced a noticeable lack of energy, and his arm didn’t feel normal.
“The medical experts and the people that are smarter than everybody in the room have said and confirm that he’ll be done this year and there is no concern for Victor’s long-term health, personally, or anything related to his basketball activities,” Spurs acting head coach Mitch Johnson said via ESPN. “There is no reason to believe he won’t be ready to go starting next season.”
The Spurs are confident that it is an isolated issue and that he will be able to make a full recovery and be ready to play before next season. The treatment for the condition includes blood-thinning medication, while he won’t be able to participate in any contact sport.
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Wembanyama was amid a strong second season, averaging 24.3 points. 11.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and a league-best 3.8 blocks in 48 games. He was viewed as the overwhelming favorite to second the Defensive Player of the Year ward, which he now won’t be able to vie for due to not reaching the 65 games played threshold for award contention.
However, he finishes the season as the only player in league history with 403 3-pointers attempted and 176 blocked shots.
