The Spurs are optimistic about a possible return of Victor Wembanyama to activity at the beginning of the next season, but they must be very cautious regarding the health of their star. The French prodigy will not play again in the remainder of the course after having suffered a severe vein thrombosis on the right shoulder. This condition is not unprecedented in the NBA, with cases like Brandon Ingram’s being a notable example. In March 2019, when he was playing for the Lakers, doctors found a blood clot on one shoulder, and he had to undergo decompression surgery of the thoracic gorge, which consisted of the removal of part of a rib that compressed his vein, and was prescribed anticoagulants to facilitate blood flow. Fortunately, he has been playing without problems for years.
There have been other cases, like Pete Mickeal, a legend of Barcelona, who was diagnosed with a pulmonary thromboembolism in 2011 and a second in 2013. He left the Barca team in the summer of 2013 but returned to the slopes with UCAM Murcia in 2014 and ended up retiring in 2017. Others, with similar but more serious ailments when they were in the lungs, had to leave basketball, such as Chris Bosh, who retired at 31 when he was one of the referents of the Heat, and former Baskonista Mirza Teletovic.
The probable cause of this condition appearing in the arm is likely due to its anatomy and repetitive movement, according to Doctor Brian Sutterer. Basketball players, due to their height – and Wembanyama is 2.24 meters – are more prone to this type of ailments. Prolonged trips do not help, although that were the cause, they usually appear on the legs. “In the arm, probably its anatomy and repetitive movement are the probable cause,” says Dr. Sutterer, who indicates that movements above the head, such as launching, which was what Ingram suffered, can contribute to the condition.
Symptoms before All Star
The doctor throws a terrifying testimony when he understands that Wembanyama probably already played the All Star with the clot: “It could have moved to the lung and killed him. I am really impressed that the doctors of the Spurs have found it in just between 24 and 48 hours.” Apparently, the Spurs star began to present fatigue symptoms before the All Star stop.
Wembanyama’s health is a matter of state in the franchise, which before market closure had been made with De’aaron Fox to place it as the squire of the Galo player and become clear aspiring players. Now, the panorama has changed radically. The parties matter less than the blood flow of the star. As the situation unfolds, the priority remains the health and well-being of Victor Wembanyama, ensuring that he can make a safe return to the sport without compromising his life.
