San Antonio Spurs coach Mitch Johnson announced Monday that star center Victor Wembanyama has been medically cleared by both the team and the NBA to return from the deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in his right shoulder that ended his 2024-25 season in February.
Victor Wembanyama Was On Pace To Win NBA DPOY
Earlier this year, the Spurs said in a statement that the condition, a form of blood clot, was discovered after Wembanyama returned to San Antonio after the All-Star Game.
The condition is typically treated with blood-thinning medication, which requires the athlete to avoid participating in contact sports like basketball.
Wembanyama, the 2023-24 Rookie of the Year and a first-time All-Star, was averaging 24.3 points, 11 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and a league-leading 3.8 blocks last season in 46 games for the Spurs.
Spurs coach Mitch Johnson says Victor Wembanyama has been medically cleared by both the Spurs and the NBA to return from the DVT that ended his prior season in February. pic.twitter.com/Ma1GMgdZSX
— Jared Weiss (@JaredWeissNBA) September 29, 2025
Wembanyama was on pace to win Defensive Player of the Year and receive All-Defense and All-NBA honors.
The 21-year-old had already taken 403 3-pointers and blocked 176 shots at the time of the announcement. No player in NBA history has ever finished a season with those numbers, and Wemby did it before the All-Star break.
However, since the 7-foot-3 big man did not meet the 65-game minimum, he became ineligible for All-NBA, Defensive Player of the Year, and other major awards.
San Antonio was eight points per 100 possessions worse when Wembanyama was off the court last season.
De’Aaron Fox Signed Multi-Year Deal With Spurs
The Spurs finished 34-48 (.415) in the 2024-25 season, their best record since 2021-22.
They’re now entering 2025-26 with a strong core that features De’Aaron Fox, Devin Vassell, Stephon Castle, and Wembanyama.
San Antonio sent four first-rounders to the Sacramento Kings to acquire Fox at the trade deadline.
Last month, Fox agreed to a four-year, $229 million maximum contract extension with the franchise, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul told ESPN’s Shams Charania.
Since Castle won Rookie of the Year last season and Dylan Harper was selected No. 2 overall in the 2025 NBA draft, some league insiders were questioning whether Fox would receive a max contract extension.
Fox, who averaged 19.7 points and 6.8 assists in 17 games with the Spurs last season, had season-ending surgery on March 18 to repair tendon damage in his left pinkie.
As a result of his season ending prematurely, Wembanyama and Fox played only five games and 120 minutes together. In the small sample of possessions, they allowed 118.3 points per 100 possessions and were a minus-4.3.
