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Victor Wembanyama, the standout player for the San Antonio Spurs, has announced that he anticipates participating in the upcoming season, having received full medical clearance after battling deep vein thrombosis in his shoulder for the past few months. In an interview with the French publication L’Equipe, published on Monday, he shared this positive news.
An insider familiar with the circumstances later informed The Associated Press that the Spurs have confirmed Wembanyama’s clearance to return to action. Provided there are no unforeseen developments, he is expected to fully engage in the training camp scheduled for this fall. This source requested anonymity, as the team has yet to publicly address this detail.
There had been hopeful expectations regarding Wembanyama’s readiness to embark on the new season, but this is the first time official confirmation has been provided.
“I’m officially cleared to return. … I can finally get back to playing some basketball,” Wembanyama expressed to the French sports newspaper.
His clearance indicates that the specific type of deep vein thrombosis he experienced was likely provoked and does not suggest a hereditary risk for recurring clots. While the Spurs have not divulged specific details concerning Wembanyama’s shoulder condition, certain forms of DVT may result from a blood vessel in the upper arm being compressed by a rib; in some cases, a surgical procedure to remove the top rib is required to alleviate such compression. Fortunately, these types of conditions are generally manageable.
Numerous athletes have faced comparable challenges. For instance, Serena Williams made a triumphant return to elite tennis after dealing with a clotting issue following her daughter’s birth, which necessitated four surgeries. Hall of Famer Chris Bosh retired from the NBA after being diagnosed with multiple clots, while hockey player Tomas Fleischmann successfully returned to play despite going through similar health issues; however, Tomas Vokoun required surgery for his clotting problem and did not return to the NHL afterward.
“I was concerned about the possibility of never playing basketball again,” Wembanyama recounted during the interview. “Sometimes, we all have irrational fears regarding what matters most to us. Yet, confronting such fears can lead to personal growth.”
Wembanyama was named the league’s rookie of the year two seasons ago, while Spurs guard Stephon Castle earned the same honor last season. Additionally, the team has strengthened its promising young roster by drafting Dylan Harper with the second overall pick this year. Wembanyama was a frontrunner for the Defensive Player of the Year award until he was diagnosed with the blood clot in his right shoulder in February.
“My injury journey has been challenging, but the toughest phase is behind me,” he shared with L’Equipe. “I feel significantly better now, both physically and mentally.”
Before being sidelined in February, Wembanyama was averaging 24.3 points, 11 rebounds, 3.8 blocks, and 3.7 assists per game—an achievement matched historically only by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in the 1975-76 season.
While Wembanyama will need time to regain his peak performance, he has plenty of time between now and training camp to advance toward that goal.
“I need to continue specific rehabilitation for my shoulder and work on restoring my basketball routines,” Wembanyama noted in the interview. “It’s been five months since I played a full five-on-five game. If there were a game tomorrow, it would be a risk. I need to reconnect with various reflexes linked to both conscious awareness and muscle memory.”
In recent months, Wembanyama has traveled considerably and spent time last month at a Shaolin temple in Zhengzhou, China, which welcomes guests interested in studying Chan meditation, Shaolin Kung Fu, traditional Chinese medicine, and more.
During his stay at the temple, he shared that he explored kung fu and Buddhist practices but clarified that he does not identify as a Buddhist.
“We were introduced to the life of a warrior monk, merging Buddhism with rigorous kung fu training,” he explained. “It was challenging. We undertook movements unlike anything we had done before, including over 1,000 kicks a day, jumps, balance drills, and stretching. We engaged muscles that were seldom used and quickly became fatigued. I experienced some of the most intense soreness of my life.”
