Victor Wembanyama made his return to basketball action for the first time this summer, and an update was provided on his health.
The San Antonio Spurs’ generational talent suffered a worrying season-ending injury last year. He was on track to win Defensive Player of the Year last season and challenge for playoff contention, averaging 24.3 points, 11.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.1 steals and 3.8 blocks through 46 games.
Then a blood clot in his right shoulder sidelined the Frenchman shortly after All-Star weekend, and the Spurs shut him down. Wembanyama has worked hard in his recovery this offseason. He took the court in Los Angeles recently, and an update on his health was given by an NBA insider.
Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty ImagesVictor Wembanyama injury update given after season-ending blood clot
Wembanyama has had a busy, and unusual, offseason. He trained with monks in China, then trained with Kevin Garnett as he looks to make another leap with the Spurs in his third NBA season.
An NBA insider revealed the first insight into how Wembanyama looks on court. Marc Stein of The Stein Line wrote, “Wemby, of course, hasn’t played in game conditions since February, when his All-Star sophomore season in San Antonio came to an abrupt end due to a blood clot.
“Yet I’m told he played in some recent fullcourt runs at Loyola Marymount in Los Angeles and, just so you know, is said to have looked quite stellar.”
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While stellar isn’t exceptional, that’s a great sign for Spurs fans. Their superstar is healthy and comfortably participating in offseason action.
It’s not like Wembanyama is injury prone. This isn’t a Joel Embiid-level injury scare. The 7’3” big man played 71 games during his rookie year. But his size was a concern coming out of the draft. People his size haven’t stayed healthy over the course of NBA history.
But he’s the unicorn of all unicorns, standing that size, shooting that well and being able to bring the ball up off the dribble from the five spot. If any 7’3” big man can look after his health, it’s him.
Victor Wembanyama faces career-defining season
The Spurs have done everything possible to set their superstar up for success, not just for now, but for the next decade of his career.
They traded for 2023 All-Star De’Aaron Fox, then signed him to a four-year, $229 million deal during the offseason. After sitting Wembanyama, the Spurs had the number two pick in the draft and took star guard Dylan Harper. And last season’s number one pick, Stephon Castle, won Rookie of the Year.
He has all the help he needs in the backcourt, and Wembanyama has already proven himself as the best defender in the NBA. Now it’s time for his talent to turn into wins, and a place in the 2026 playoffs for the Spurs.
Yes, the West is tough. Brutally tough. Last season’s champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder, are going nowhere having resigned their three stars. The Houston Rockets traded for Kevin Durant and the Los Angeles Lakers held onto LeBron James and Luka Doncic.
Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Clippers and Denver Nuggets bolstered their rosters with a series of free agency moves. The competition has never been stiffer, and that’s without mentioning Stephen Curry’s Golden State Warriors and Anthony Edwards’ Timberwolves.
But if Wembanyama is the player we expected him to be pre-draft, we should be mentioning his name among the rest of the superstars in his conference. Now is the time to show he belongs in that group of elite players.