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San Antonio Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama is set to miss the remainder of the 2024-25 NBA season after being diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in his right shoulder, the team announced on February 20.

While the Spurs maintain that Wembanyama's long-term health and basketball future are not in jeopardy, the implications of this injury reach far beyond just the remainder of this season. From his legacy and durability concerns to the immediate impact on his rookie card market, this setback could have lasting effects on the trajectory of his career.

The Spurs' Official Statement and Wembanyama's Condition

According to interim head coach Mitch Johnson, there is "no concern for Victor's health personally (long term) or his basketball activities." The team remains optimistic that he will make a full recovery and be ready for the start of the 2025-26 season.

The diagnosis reportedly came after Wembanyama participated in NBA All-Star Weekend, with The Athletic’s Sam Amick reporting that the 7'4" phenom had been experiencing low energy in recent weeks.

Despite reassurance from the Spurs, deep vein thrombosis is not an injury to take lightly. While commonly associated with lower extremities, a DVT in the shoulder is rare for a young, elite athlete. It raises questions about how his body will hold up long-term, especially given the extreme physical demands placed on players of his unique build.

Comparing Wembanyama’s Injury to Chris Bosh’s Career-Altering Condition

While the Spurs remain confident in Wembanyama’s full recovery, it's impossible to ignore the chilling parallel to Chris Bosh, whose career was prematurely ended by blood clot complications.

Bosh, a Hall of Fame big man, was diagnosed with blood clots in 2015. Despite multiple attempts to return to the court, his condition ultimately forced him into medical retirement at just 32 years old. Though Bosh's condition involved recurrent clots rather than an isolated case, it raises the question:

Could this be the first red flag for Wembanyama’s long-term durability?

Unlike Bosh, Wembanyama's issue is localized to his shoulder rather than his lungs, meaning he isn't currently at risk for life-threatening pulmonary embolisms. However, blood clotting disorders can resurface unpredictably, and NBA franchises will be watching closely for any signs of recurrence before assuming this is an isolated event.

How This Affects Wembanyama’s Career Outlook

Before this diagnosis, Wembanyama was on a historic trajectory, averaging 24.3 points, 11.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 3.8 blocks, and 1.1 steals through 46 games. He was already proving himself to be a game-changing defensive force, leading the NBA in blocked shots while showcasing an offensive skill set that few seven-footers in history have possessed.

The Spurs had finally built a core around him, acquiring De’Aaron Fox at the trade deadline in an attempt to push for a Play-In Tournament spot in the loaded Western Conference. Now, any hope of a playoff push is gone, and the team will likely shift its focus toward development rather than contention.

From a career perspective, missing an entire season due to an injury in Year 2 isn't a death sentence, but it does create new challenges:

• Durability concerns: Fair or not, big men have always been scrutinized for their ability to stay healthy. With his height, thin frame, and high mobility, Wembanyama was already a candidate for load management. This injury will only add fuel to the debate about whether he can withstand an 82-game NBA season consistently.
• Halted momentum: Wembanyama was building MVP-level hype, particularly after leading France to a silver medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Missing extended time now slows down the trajectory he was on.
• Team-building delay: The Spurs just made a major move to accelerate their rebuild by adding Fox. With Wembanyama out, team chemistry and player development are put on hold, possibly delaying the Spurs' rise back to contention by a full year.

Immediate Impact on His Rookie Card Market

The trading card market thrives on hype, performance, and availability—and Wembanyama's absence for the rest of the season is a major blow to his short-term card values.

Historically, when an emerging superstar suffers a significant injury early in their career, their rookie card prices experience an immediate dip due to uncertainty. This is already evident in recent sales trends:

• Lower Demand for High-End Cards: Investors and collectors typically shy away from buying high-value cards when uncertainty arises. Wembanyama’s top-tier Panini Prizm, National Treasures RPAs (Rookie Patch Autographs), and high-numbered parallels will likely see a decline in short-term value.
• A Soft Market Correction: While his cards remain valuable, expect a drop of 20-30% in price over the next few months as collectors re-evaluate his long-term outlook.
• Opportunity for Long-Term Investors: Savvy collectors may buy low now, betting that Wembanyama will bounce back in 2025-26 and regain his trajectory toward being a generational talent.

This mirrors what happened to Zion Williamson, whose early-career injuries caused a major dip in his rookie card market. Zion’s Prizm Silver PSA 10 cards once sold for over $8,000 but later dropped below $2,000 after he missed extended time. If Wembanyama's return timeline becomes murkier, a similar drop-off could occur.

The Chris Bosh comparison looms as well. Once Bosh’s blood clot issues became chronic, his card values tanked permanently because the hobby recognized he might never return to form. If Wembanyama shows any signs of recurring clotting issues, his market could take an even steeper hit.

Final Thoughts: A Defining Moment for Wembanyama’s Career

Victor Wembanyama’s rookie season was everything the Spurs and NBA fans hoped for, and his potential remains limitless. However, this injury introduces a new layer of uncertainty into what was supposed to be a seamless rise to superstardom.

The good news? If the Spurs’ medical staff is correct and this is truly a one-time issue, Wembanyama should return fully healthy in 2025-26 with minimal long-term concerns.

The bad news? NBA history has shown that once durability concerns emerge, they rarely go away completely—especially for players of his size.

With his team’s playoff hopes dashed, rookie card market temporarily dipping, and comparisons to past players with clotting conditions surfacing, this is the first real test of adversity in Wembanyama’s young career. How he recovers from this setback could determine whether he truly becomes the generational icon he was projected to be—or if long-term durability issues derail his ascent to greatness.