Spurs' Victor Wembanyama says he's been cleared to return following blood clot
San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama expects to play this coming season and has been fully cleared after dealing with deep vein thrombosis in his shoulder for the last few months, he told the French newspaper L'Equipe in remarks published Monday.
There was no immediate comment from the Spurs on the report. It has been expected that the team anticipated Wembanyama would be able to start this coming season, though there was no official word until now.
Advertisement
'I'm officially cleared to return. … I'll finally be able to play a bit of basketball again,' Wembanyama told the French sports daily.
Wembanyama was the league's rookie of the year two years ago, and Spurs guard Stephon Castle won that same trophy this past season. Wembanyama was the front-runner to be defensive player of the year last season when he was diagnosed with the blood clot in his right shoulder in February.
He was averaging 24.3 points, 11 rebounds, 3.8 blocks and 3.7 assists when he was shut down; the only other player in NBA history to finish a season averaging all that was Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in 1975-76.
Wembanyama has traveled extensively in recent months and spent time last month at a Shaolin temple in Zhengzhou, China. The temple is a place that welcomes visitors who wish to study Chan meditation, Shaolin Kung Fu, traditional Chinese medicine and more.
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
14 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Charles Bassey wants to play for the Boston Celtics
Former San Antonio Spurs big man Charles Bassey wants to play for the Boston Celtics. But is the interest mutual, or is the lack of a camp invite for the Sin City Celtics center standout more a product of the need for cap management on a Boston roster right up against the edge of the collective bargaining agreement (CBA)'s second apron? The Celtics could of course sign Bassey right now with their roster spot vacated by the move that got them under the second apron -- waiving 2025 NBA G League Most Valuable Player JD Davison. But doing so would theoretically put them right back over said second apron, negating the point of having made the move to part ways with Davison in the first place. Could another move to clear salary and open up some cap to bring on Bassey be in the works, or is Boston focused on other things at this point in the 2025 offseason? The hosts of the CLNS Media "How Bout Them Celtics!" podcast, Jack Simone and Sam LaFrance, took some time on a recent episode of their show to talk it over. Check it out below! If you enjoy this pod, check out the "How Bout Them Celtics," "First to the Floor," and the many other New England sports podcasts available on the CLNS Media network: Listen to "Havlicek Stole the Pod" on: Spotify: iTunes: YouTube: This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Charles Bassey wants to play for the Celtics
Newsweek
14 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Bucks Receive Worrying Giannis Antetokounmpo Update
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The Milwaukee Bucks have been busy during the NBA offseason. As they look to keep Giannis Antetokounmpo long-term and prove that they can compete for a championship, the team has undergone some major changes. In NBA free agency, the Bucks made the most shocking move of the offseason. They came out of nowhere to steal veteran center Myles Turner away from the Central Division rival Indiana Pacers. However, they had to make another head-turning move to make that happen. Damian Lillard, their superstar point guard who suffered a torn Achilles during the playoffs, was waived and stretched to create cap space to sign Turner. Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks looks on against the Indiana Pacers during the fourth quarter of Game 5 of the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on April 29, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks looks on against the Indiana Pacers during the fourth quarter of Game 5 of the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on April 29, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Photo byTurner is a good player, but the money used to sign him coupled with the money owed to Lillard in coming years could handcuff Milwaukee long-term. Read more: Boston Celtics Get Huge Jayson Tatum Injury Update With that being said, a new update has been revealed about Antetokounmpo. ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania has reported that Antetokounmpo is not a lock to remain with the Bucks even after their busy offseason. "Sources tell me there's still nothing set in stone about whether Giannis Antetokounmpo will stay in Milwaukee or whether he will be leaving," Charania said. He also revealed that there are multiple teams still waiting to find out what the future between Antetokounmpo and Milwaukee will be. Those teams are likely waiting to ounce if he becomes available. "There are multiple teams that I know of that are literally waiting right now on what decision Giannis Antetokounmpo makes," Charania reported. During the 2024-25 NBA season, Antetokounmpo once again dominated the rest of the league. He played in 67 games, averaging 30.4 points, 11.9 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 1.2 blocks, and 0.9 steals per game, while also shooting 60.1 percent from the floor. Read more: Lakers' Luka Doncic Sends Clear Warning to NBA After Extension At 30 years old, Antetokounmpo is not getting any younger. He wants to play for a championship contender and he badly wants a second title. There are legitimate concerns about the Bucks' ability to compete with their new-look roster. Right now, there is no clear second star to take pressure off their superstar forward. Expect to continue hearing more about Antetokounmpo's future. He seems likely to at least begin the 2025-26 season with Milwaukee, but if the year doesn't start off well, he could be a name to watch ahead of the NBA trade deadline. For more on the Milwaukee Bucks and general NBA news, head on over to Newsweek Sports.
USA Today
16 minutes ago
- USA Today
Hornets' Kon Knueppel is honoring a Hall of Famer with jersey number choice
After wearing No. 7 for one season at Duke, rookie guard Kon Knueppel opted to keep that same jersey number to begin his career in the NBA with the Charlotte Hornets. Knueppel had previously worn No. 33 at Wisconsin Lutheran High School because it was the number that his mother, Chari, wore at Green Bay. She was inducted into Green Bay's hall of fame, and her number was retired after she left as the women's all-time leading scorer. The fourth pick was also inspired to wear No. 33 because of Hall of Famer Larry Bird. He was forced to change when he arrived in Durham since it is retired to honor Grant Hill, so Knueppel chose No. 7, the number Bird wore on the Dream Team with USA Basketball. Knueppel was a second-team All-ACC selection last season, averaging 14.4 points, four rebounds, 2.7 assists and one steal in 39 games on 40.6% shooting from 3-point range. He scored in double figures in all but seven games, including a season-high 28 points and eight assists on March 13. The 20-year-old helped the Hornets to the NBA Summer League championship, averaging 15.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.2 steals in five appearances. He was named MVP of the title game after scoring a team-high 21 points and five rebounds. Knueppel is a part of a stacked rookie class for the Hornets and has helped create plenty of anticipation heading into next season. He will do so with a familiar number on his jersey. Note: Throughout August, Rookie Wire is looking at every first-round pick and why each player selected their respective jersey number as they make the jump to the NBA. Previous: Cooper Flagg | Dylan Harper | VJ Edgecombe
