Although Victor Wembanyama didn’t provide many details on the deep vein thrombosis in his right shoulder that ended his season in February, he said “I’m over this problem” when he spoke to reporters on Sunday, according to Michael C. Wright of ESPN.
Wembanyama hasn’t been cleared for contact, but he has begun a light program of weightlifting along with on-court work in a limited setting, Wright adds. The second-year big man refused to say if his condition involved a structural issue or whether his treatment included surgery.
“There’s many more things than surgery when you go to the hospital for a blood clot,” he explained. “We’re taking our time and I’m neither late or early (in recovery), but it’s a process and there are definitely steps for me to reach. At the time, I definitely didn’t know (the extent of the condition). But looking back I did feel a certain way. I wasn’t in the best shape ever at the All-Star Game. By no means was it easy to learn and process. I think I did and I’m still doing the best we can do, taking care of my body and trusting the incredible work of the medical staff. I’m sure it’s something I’m going to use to grow and be better.”
Wembanyama’s medical issues began with discomfort in his shoulder during a road trip immediately following All-Star Weekend, sources tell Wright. He went through numerous exams before the issue was diagnosed as a blot clot.
He wound up missing the final 36 games of the season as San Antonio slipped out of the play-in race and ultimately finished 34-48. Wembanyama relied on “perspective” to help deal with the frustration of being unable to play.
“All the attention I got from the incredible people here [who are] incredible at their jobs, from my visits to the hospital and such, I think I got as good of care as you can get as a patient,” he said. “Looking back, I’m really lucky. This happened. But all of us, we deal with what we get. I’m still in the 1% luckiest people. I’ve got nothing to complain about.”
At 21, Wembanyama was in the midst of a spectacular season before the shoulder issue arose. He averaged 24.3 points, 11.0 rebounds and 3.7 assists per night and led the league with 176 total blocked shots even though he was limited to 46 games. He was likely headed for Defensive Player of the Year honors, but fell well short of the 65-game minimum needed to qualify.
Acting coach Mitch Johnson called Wembanyama’s progress “good news” and reiterated that he’s expected to be fully recovered in time for training camp. Wright points out that the Spurs head into the offseason with uncertainly regarding their coaching staff as Hall of Famer Gregg Popovich tries to make it back from a stroke that caused him to miss 76 games.
“I trust the organization,” Wembanyama said about the coaching situation. “I trust Pop to [do] all he can to come back and get his energy back. I also trust Mitch to grow into that role. So I think we are in good hands supporting each other all throughout the organization. So I don’t know. I’m ready for anything.”
Wembanyama seems doubtful about representing France in this year’s EuroBasket, which gets underway in late August, per Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops. French officials recently expressed hope that Wembanyama could participate in the tournament.
“I don’t know if it’s realistic,” he said. “There are a lot of uncertainties.”