Victor Wembanyama’s season looks to have ended after the San Antonio Spurs announced he is dealing with deep vein thrombosis in his right shoulder.
The Spurs said Wembanyama had been diagnosed when he returned from last week’s All-Star Game in San Francisco. DVT occurs when blood clots form in veins; the condition can be fatal if untreated. The Spurs said they expect the 21-year-old to miss the rest of the season.
The Frenchman was arguably the most hyped rookie since LeBron James when he entered the NBA last season, due to his ability to blend his 7ft 3in height and huge wingspan with the handling skills of a much smaller player. He was named an All-Star for the first time this season and was a favourite for defensive player of the year, an award he will not be eligible for as he will not play the 65-game minimum to qualify.
“I think everybody understands that basketball is what we do and not who we are,” Spurs point guard Chris Paul told ESPN. “So life and everything is so much more important, but for us, we know losing a big part of our team like that is [made up for] by committee. And trust me, you can’t replace Vic. I can’t stand on a guy’s shoulders and block every shot that comes to the rim. Aside from his basketball ability, his charisma and what he brings into the locker room I think is what we’ll miss the most.”
This season he was averaging 24.3 points and 11.3 rebounds a game. His 3.8 blocks a game led the league. The Spurs are 12th in the Western Conference, 3.5 games outside the play-in places. The Spurs are already without their coach Gregg Popovich, who is on leave after suffering a stroke.
