Tyronn Lue and Doc Rivers expressed their sadness upon hearing the recent news. Meanwhile, Michael Malone and Erik Spoelstra reacted with shock upon learning about Victor Wembanyama’s diagnosis of deep vein thrombosis in his right shoulder. This unfortunate development is a significant setback for the San Antonio Spurs, but it also resonated deeply within the larger basketball community.
Malone, coach of the Denver Nuggets, shared his disbelief, stating, “As a fan of the game, you never want to see anybody, any player — but especially a great player, the future of this league — be shut down for the remaining season. So, you hate to see that happen to anybody. And hopefully Wemby is going to be OK.”
The Spurs maintain a hopeful outlook for a full recovery for Wembanyama, even though he is anticipated to miss the rest of the season. He was a frontrunner for the Defensive Player of the Year award, poised for an All-NBA selection, and likely to appear on numerous MVP ballots as voting approaches in April.
The abrupt halt to his promising season came with the revelation of a blood clot in his shoulder. This comes at a challenging time for the Spurs, who are already dealing with the absence of coach Gregg Popovich, who suffered a stroke in November.
The news broke just as the Miami Heat were concluding their practice on Thursday, leaving Spoelstra in disbelief, while Heat forward Kevin Love expressed his shock. “I can’t imagine this league without him in the short term or in the long term,” Love commented. “He’s that important.”
Wembanyama enjoys immense popularity not only in San Antonio and his native France but also among his peers in the NBA. He ranked fourth in the player voting for the All-Star team in the Western Conference among frontcourt players, trailing only Nikola Jokic, LeBron James, and Kevin Durant.
Charlotte coach Charles Lee lamented the situation, stating, “It’s unfortunate to see it happen to such a young player, to see it happen to a guy that’s a transcendent talent in our league. It’s happened to other people. I’ve noticed that they’ve been able to come back and continue their careers. And so, wishing him and the Spurs organization the best as he kind of goes through his treatment plans.”
Lue emphasized the collective sentiment in the NBA, noting that there is a unified desire for Wembanyama’s healthy return, saying, “Sad news today. Such a great player, a guy who’s meant so much to the league since he’s gotten here. It’s just tough news. Hopefully, everything works out. Prayers around the league. I know a lot of players and coaches in the NBA family are just hoping he can get well.”
In recent years, several NBA players have publicly faced the challenges posed by blood clots. For example, Chris Bosh had to cut his career short with the Miami Heat because of such health concerns, while others, like Brandon Ingram, successfully recovered after treatment.
Rivers, the coach of the Milwaukee Bucks, expressed his concern as well, remarking, “I’m just hoping he’s healthy long-term. Blood clots are serious stuff… I just hope he gets back, gets healthy, and I’m sure they’ll make sure of that.”
