I can't stand on a guy's shoulders and block every shot
At 22 years old, Victor Wembanyama — the generational talent reshaping how the game of basketball is imagined — has been diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis in his right shoulder, ending his season before it could reach its full expression. Discovered in the quiet aftermath of the All-Star break, the blood clot requires treatment that makes the contact and collision of professional basketball medically untenable. For a franchise already navigating the absence of its legendary coach, this is a second wound in a single season — a reminder that the arc of a career, however luminous, is never fully within our control.
- Wembanyama was rewriting NBA history in real time — no player had ever recorded 400 three-point attempts and 176 blocks before the All-Star break — making his sudden absence feel like a chapter torn from a book mid-sentence.
- A blood clot in his right shoulder, discovered after persistent post-All-Star discomfort, now requires blood-thinning medication that makes returning to contact sports medically inadvisable for the foreseeable future.
- The Spurs' already fragile playoff hopes collapsed almost instantly, with postseason odds falling from 3.2 percent to less than 0.1 percent — a statistical near-certainty that the season is effectively over.
- The Defensive Player of the Year award Wembanyama was heavily favored to win will now go to another player, with Jaren Jackson Jr. immediately stepping into the frontrunner role.
- The Spurs organization insists on optimism — a full recovery before next season is the stated goal — but the team must now finish the year without both its star player and its head coach, Gregg Popovich, still absent following a November stroke.
Victor Wembanyama will not play again this season. The San Antonio Spurs announced Thursday that their 22-year-old star has been diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis — a blood clot — in his right shoulder. The clot was found after Wembanyama returned from the All-Star Game experiencing symptoms he initially hoped rest would resolve. When the discomfort continued, diagnostic tests revealed the condition. Blood-thinning treatment, the standard course of care, makes participation in contact sports like basketball medically inadvisable, and his 2024-25 season is over.
The statistical loss alone is difficult to overstate. Through 46 games, Wembanyama was averaging 24.3 points, 11.0 rebounds, and a league-leading 3.8 blocks per game — numbers without precedent at this point in a season. He had been the overwhelming favorite for Defensive Player of the Year, drawing more than three times the betting interest of any other candidate. That award will now go elsewhere; Jaren Jackson Jr. moved immediately to the front of the field.
For the Spurs, the consequences are swift and severe. ESPN Analytics dropped the team's playoff odds from 3.2 percent to less than 0.1 percent. Point guard Chris Paul acknowledged the weight of the moment, noting that no combination of teammates can replicate what Wembanyama provides — on defense, in the locker room, or for the sport itself.
This is the second major blow of the season for San Antonio. Head coach Gregg Popovich has been away from the team since suffering a stroke in November. The Spurs now navigate the remainder of the year without either the architect of their future or the player meant to embody it — focused, for now, on Wembanyama's health and a recovery the organization hopes will be complete before next season begins.
Victor Wembanyama will not play another game this season. The San Antonio Spurs announced Thursday that their 22-year-old star has been diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis—a blood clot—in his right shoulder, a condition that will sideline him for the remainder of the year and likely beyond.
The clot was discovered after Wembanyama returned to San Antonio following the All-Star Game. He had begun experiencing symptoms in the days after the break and initially thought rest would resolve the issue. When the discomfort persisted, the team ran a series of diagnostic tests that revealed the clot. Treatment for deep vein thrombosis typically involves blood-thinning medication, which makes participation in contact sports like basketball medically inadvisable. The Spurs organization has expressed optimism that Wembanyama will make a full recovery by the start of next season, but his 2024-25 campaign is finished.
The loss is staggering in its scope. Wembanyama, the reigning Rookie of the Year and a first-time All-Star this season, was in the midst of a historic statistical run. Through 46 games, he was averaging 24.3 points, 11.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and a league-leading 3.8 blocks per game. He had already attempted 403 three-pointers and recorded 176 blocks—numbers no player in NBA history has accumulated before the All-Star break. He was a heavy favorite to win Defensive Player of the Year, having attracted more than three times the betting action of any other candidate. That award will now go elsewhere; Jaren Jackson Jr. of the Memphis Grizzlies moved into the favorite's position immediately after the announcement.
The Spurs' playoff picture has essentially evaporated. ESPN Analytics calculated that the team's chances of making the postseason dropped from 3.2 percent to less than 0.1 percent with Wembanyama's loss. Their play-in tournament odds fell from 15 percent to 0.4 percent. The franchise, already struggling at 23-29 before the news, now faces the remainder of the season without its most dynamic player.
Chris Paul, the Spurs' point guard, spoke to the weight of the moment. "It's tough," he said, acknowledging that the difficulty extended beyond basketball itself. He emphasized what Wembanyama means not just to the team but to the sport—his talent, his passion, his presence in the locker room. Paul noted that while the team would have to adjust by committee, there is no replacing what Wembanyama brings. "I can't stand on a guy's shoulders and block every shot that comes to the rim," Paul said, a nod to the defensive dominance Wembanyama has displayed.
This is the second major blow to strike the Spurs this season. In November, head coach Gregg Popovich suffered a stroke and has been away from the team indefinitely. Now, as the franchise attempts to navigate a lost season, it does so without its brightest young talent and the architect of its future. The Spurs will provide updates on Wembanyama's condition as warranted, but for now, the focus is on his health and a recovery that will extend well into the offseason.
Citações Notáveis
It's tough, 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.— Chris Paul, Spurs point guard
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 is what we'll miss the most.— Chris Paul
A Conversa do Hearth Outra perspectiva sobre a história
What does it mean that he needs blood-thinning medication? Why does that end his season?
Blood thinners prevent clotting, which is necessary to stop bleeding. In a contact sport, any collision or fall could cause serious internal bleeding. The medication makes the risk unacceptable.
He felt symptoms after the All-Star break but thought rest would fix it. How much did waiting cost him?
Probably everything. If he'd gotten imaging immediately, the diagnosis would have been the same, but the delay meant he missed the window where he might have played through the rest of the season. By the time they tested him, the decision was already made.
The Spurs' playoff chances went from 3.2 percent to basically zero. Is the season over for them now?
Mathematically, no. Practically, yes. They're 23-29 without their best player. They're not making the playoffs. The season becomes about development and draft positioning.
What does Chris Paul mean when he says you can't replace what Wembanyama brings?
He's talking about something beyond statistics. Wembanyama changes how teams have to play defense. He's a presence. Losing that—the fear he creates, the way he elevates everyone around him—that's irreplaceable by committee.
Will he be ready for next season?
The team is optimistic, but deep vein thrombosis is serious. Full recovery by October is the hope, but there's no guarantee. He might need months of rehabilitation.