Blood clot sidelines Spurs star Wembanyama for the season

Threat level: A clot can cause pulmonary embolism if it breaks loose and travels to the lungs, according to the Mayo Clinic.

• Chris Bosh, who last played for the Miami Heat, ended his career early because of blood clots in his lungs in 2015.

Catch up quick: Wemby, the reigning Rookie of the Year, completed his 100th game in the NBA last month, with a "staggering" stat sheet.

• Spurs fans, reenergized by the recent acquisition of De'Aaron Fox, were rallying for a Play-In Tournament spot after enduring one of the worst seasons in franchise history.

What they're saying: It's "wild to think of the circumstances and situations we've been through as a team this year," Spurs point guard Chris Paul said, noting that the team got the news ahead of their game against the Phoenix Suns in Austin, per the Express-News.

• "It's a tough blow considering the momentum the Spurs were finally building with Victor, the rise of Stephon Castle and the trade for Fox," Spurs fan and season ticket-holder Eric Salinas tells Axios.
• "Hopefully this is just a small speed bump for another dynasty in the making here in our home of San Antonio," Salinas says.

State of play: A team source told ESPN that the Spurs expect Wemby to fully recover by the start of the 2025-26 season.

• His clot is not a career-ending situation like Bosh's, the Spurs told Express-News reporter Mike Finger.

Zoom out: Other NBA players, like Brandon Ingram (2019) and Ausuar Thompson (2024), were diagnosed with season-ending blood clots and were able to return to play the following season.

Between the lines: Coach Gregg Popovich remains out from the sidelines after suffering a stroke in November.

What's next: The Spurs will provide updates when appropriate, the injury update says.