San Antonio Spurs second-year center Victor Wembanyama is expected to miss the remainder of the season after being diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis, according to ESPN senior insider Shams Charania.
Spurs Phenom Victor Wembanyama Out For Season
Widely considered to be the future face of the league, Wembanyama just played in his first All-Star Game. He was also projected to win the 2025 Defensive Player of the Year Award. However, he will no longer meet the 65-game minimum that was instated by the NBA in 2023-24. This season, the long-limbed phenom has averaged 24.3 points, 11.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.1 steals, and 3.8 blocks per game. It’s his second season with the highest block average in the league.
Victor Wembanyama has a form of a blood clot in the right shoulder. He is out for the season. The Spurs believe this is an isolated condition. https://t.co/AEP8Way0Zb
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 20, 2025
There’s no singular player on the Spurs’ roster who can replace what Wembanyama brought to the team. Thus, a serious wrench has been thrown into their playoff plans.
That being said, San Antonio is currently 12th in the Western Conference standings. Yet, they were just 3.5 games out of a spot in the Play-In Tournament. With a strong post-All-Star push, a postseason berth was a legitimate possibility. The continuous evolution of rookie standout Stephon Castle and their trade for star guard De’Aaron Fox only improved their chances.
Even without Wembanyama, the Spurs are unlikely to pack it in. They’re a proud bunch with a number of veterans, including future Hall of Fame point guard Chris Paul. Still, this was such a highly unexpected outcome that it feels like they could change course. Per Tankathon, San Antonio is currently projected to pick 10th in the 2025 NBA Draft.
Maybe now’s the time to try to add a player like Duke stud Cooper Flagg to the mix.
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