On Thursday, the San Antonio Spurs introduced star heart Victor Wembanyama shall be out for the remainder of the season after being recognized with deep vein thrombosis in his proper shoulder. The affliction was found when Wembanyama returned to San Antonio after the All-Star Recreation.
At this level, there are a whole lot of questions — in regards to the situation and in regards to the younger star’s restoration timeline — though the Spurs reportedly are optimistic he’ll be nice for coaching camp subsequent season. However Wembayama shouldn’t be the one athlete or basketball participant to endure from blood clots; a number of gamers, together with Chris Bosh, Brandon Ingram and Ausar Thompson, have had related medical points. Though it isn’t but recognized how Wembayama’s analysis will have an effect on his profession long run, previous circumstances in sports activities can function a reference level.
What’s deep vein thrombosis?
Deep vein thrombosis is a situation the place a blood clot varieties in a vein deep inside the physique. The clots are most typical within the legs, per the Mayo Clinic, however can happen in different deep veins within the arms, pelvis and shoulders.
With deep vein thrombosis, the largest threat is that the clots can dislodge and journey by way of the bloodstream. A pulmonary embolism, which is extra harmful, can happen when a clot will get caught within the lungs and blocks blood move.
Deep vein thrombosis is most typical in people who find themselves older or who don’t train a lot. Clearly, that isn’t the case with the 21-year-old Wembanyama. However the situation can happen with out typical threat elements. A aspect impact is ache and swelling within the affected space, which is usually how the clot is found.
Blood thinners may help deal with the situation, however it takes time for the clot to dissolve. Wembanyama will possible miss a number of months, or longer, whereas recovering.
Different athletes who’ve suffered from related situations
Blood clots, together with deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary emboli, will not be unusual within the sports activities world, particularly within the NBA. Lately, a number of basketball gamers have been recognized with related situations and have missed time consequently.
These medical histories have affected gamers in several methods. Some gamers have returned to the sport with no points; others have had their careers minimize quick.
Listed below are some latest athletes with related situations to Wembanyama’s.
Damian Lillard
The Milwaukee Bucks’ star level guard was recognized with a deep vein thrombosis in his proper calf on March 25 with 11 video games remaining within the common season and the workforce battling the Detroit Pistons and Indiana Pacers for the next playoff seed.
Lillard, 34, was sidelined indefinitely after occurring blood thinning remedy and would endure testing recurrently. The Bucks mentioned in an announcement that docs mentioned his situation was unlikely to happen once more. Lillard himself mentioned that he anticipated to maneuver previous this and proceed his profession. He was initially recognized with a calf pressure.
Brandon Ingram
Ingram and Wembanyama have essentially the most in widespread when it comes to medical historical past. Like Wembanyama, Ingram was recognized with deep vein thrombosis in his proper shoulder in March 2019 and missed the remainder of the 2018-19 season. The ahead was 22 years previous on the time.
However the situation didn’t cease Ingram’s development within the league. A number of months after being recognized, Ingram was traded to the New Orleans Pelicans, the place he put up a large 2019-20 season, posting career-high averages in factors, rebounds, assists and steals. Ingram earned his solely All-Star nod that yr and was named the NBA’s Most Improved Participant on the finish of the 2020 common season.
Chris Bosh
Two-time NBA champion and 11-time All-Star Chris Bosh is among the better-known examples of how blood clots can have an effect on a profession. Bosh, who struggled with blood clots all through the ultimate years of his profession, formally retirement from the NBA in 2019, greater than three years after enjoying his ultimate recreation on the age of 31.
Throughout his tenure with the Miami Warmth, Bosh missed the second half of the 2015 season after a blood clot migrated to his lungs and acquired one other clot in his leg the next yr. (Bosh’s first blood clot was recognized 10 years, virtually to the day, earlier than Wembanyama’s was introduced.)
The recurring medical subject resulted in physicians and the Warmth pressuring Bosh into sitting out for the yr. After Bosh failed a bodily and missed the 2016-2017 season, the NBA dominated that the situation was a career-ending sickness.
Miami finally waived the All-Star in 2017, pledging to retire Bosh’s jersey. The Warmth made good on that promise two years later, retiring Bosh’s No. 1 in an emotional ceremony in 2019. A month prior, Bosh had formally retired from the NBA, regardless of having tried a number of comebacks within the intervening years.
Ausar Thompson
One other younger participant, Detroit Pistons ahead Ausar Thompson, has additionally struggled with blood clots up to now yr. Thompson, 22, was recognized with a blood clot in March 2024, lacking eight months because of the difficulty.
Thompson returned to the court docket in November after being medically cleared. Since returning, he is grow to be the Pistons’ beginning small ahead, averaging 9.3 factors, 5 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.6 steals per recreation in 33 video games (22 begins).
Chris Bosh’s profession was minimize quick due to persistent points with blood clots. (Photograph by Michael Reaves/Getty Photos)Michael Reaves through Getty Photos
Anderson Varejão
Brazilian ahead Anderson Varejão additionally suffered from life-threatening blood clots. In January 2013, Varejão, then 30 years previous and enjoying for the Cleveland Cavaliers, was hospitalized with a blood clot in his left lung.
The pulmonary embolism was found after Varejão instructed the Cavaliers’ medical employees that he was feeling again and chest ache. After a CT scan revealed the blood clot, Varejão went rapidly into surgical procedure. A month afterward, Varejão instructed Yahoo Sports activities that he was “very lucky” that the clot was found and eliminated earlier than inflicting any main hurt.
Varejão missed the remainder of the 2012-2013 season however returned to the court docket the next yr. He performed for a number of extra seasons within the NBA and Europe earlier than retiring from professional basketball in 2021.
Mirza Teletović
Bosnian ahead Mirza Teletović’s comparatively quick NBA profession was additionally affected by blood clots. Teletović, who acquired his begin in European leagues, joined the Brooklyn Nets in 2012.
In January 2015, Teletović was hospitalized with shortness of breath and later recognized with bilateral pulmonary embolus, with a number of blood clots in his lungs. Teletović went on blood thinners and returned to the court docket the following season with the Phoenix Suns, having signed with the workforce within the offseason.
However his situation later returned. In 2017, whereas enjoying with the Milwaukee Bucks, Teletović was as soon as once more recognized with pulmonary emboli in each lungs, and was waived by the Bucks a number of months later. Teletović retired from the NBA in 2018 on the age of 33.
Serena Williams
Whereas not a basketball participant, tennis famous person Serena Williams is successful story with regards to getting back from blood clots. Williams was first recognized with a life-threatening pulmonary embolism in early 2011 and was hospitalized because of a number of blood clots in each lungs.
Williams returned to the court docket later that yr, reaching the ultimate of the U.S. Open. In 2012, she gained her fifth Wimbledon singles title and her first Olympic gold medal, finishing a profession Golden Slam.
In 2018, after giving beginning to her daughter Olympia, Williams suffered quite a few problems, together with one other pulmonary embolism that required a number of surgical procedures. However only a yr later, she returned to the highest 10 within the tennis standings. Williams retired from tennis a number of years later, enjoying her ultimate match in 2022.
—-
Author : News-NBA
Publish date : 2025-03-26 02:36:00
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.