NBA star Victor Wembanyama diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis, expected to miss remainder of season, Spurs announce

NBA star Victor Wembanyama is expected to miss the remainder of the season with deep vein thrombosis in his right shoulder, the San Antonio Spurs announced Thursday. The team said doctors discovered the condition after Wembanyama returned to Texas following the All-Star break in San Francisco.

Deep vein thrombosis occurs when a blood clot forms in one of the deep veins in the body, according to the Mayo Clinic.

The 7-foot-3-inch Wembanyama, who hails from France, was the NBA Rookie of the Year last season, and is averaging 24.3 points and 11 rebounds per game this season.

The Spurs are currenlty in 12th place in the Western Conference but not far from playoff contention.

“It’s a massive blow for Wembanyama and the Spurs, who were putting together a strong season after winning just 22 games a season ago,” writes CBS Sports’ Jasmyn Wimbish.  “They’ve surpassed that win total with 23, and were within range of getting one of the final play-in spots for the playoffs in the West. But with Wembanyama out for the rest of the season, those chances dwindle significantly.”

A source with the Spurs told ESPN Tursday that the team is optimistic that te 21-year-old Wembanyama will make a full recovery by the start of next season.

The team said that updates on Wembanyama’s condition would be provided as appropriate.

This is a developing story and will be updated.