Victor Wembanyama injury history: Every issue Spurs star has faced during career

San Antonio Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama has become the rare player who can be appropriately described as unique. Wembanyama is a force of nature on both ends of the floor, possessing a generational combination of size, length, athleticism, and skill.

Unfortunately, Wembanyama's remarkable second NBA season has come to a sudden and harrowing end.

Wembanyama is mere days removed from making his first career All-Star Game appearance. He earned the honor with absurd averages of 24.3 points, 11.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 3.8 blocks, 1.1 steals, and 3.1 three-point field goals made.

According to Shams Charania of ESPN, Wembanyama will unfortunately be forced to miss the remainder of the 2024-25 season due to deep vein thrombosis in his right shoulder.

Charania expounded on the report, revealing that Wembanyama has a blood clot in his right shoulder that the Spurs have identified as a condition that shouldn't result in future ailments.

A reason to be optimistic about his full recovery: Wembanyama's season-ending injury comes after generally avoiding medical issues in the NBA, albeit with some bigger ailments plaguing him prior to reaching the Association.

Victor Wembanyama's injury history abroad

Wembanyama has remained generally healthy throughout the early stages of his NBA career. He did endure some troubling ailments before he made the leap, however, which were well-documented when he was going through the draft process.

Dec. 16, 2020: Stress fracture in fibula

Wembanyama, then 16 years of age, suffered a stress fracture in his fibula while playing in Europe. It was the most significant injury that he endured prior to the current diagnosis.

Nov. 6, 2021: Fractured finger

A difficult 2021-22 season began with a fractured finger. It was the first of what was an unfortunate slew of ailments that plagued Wembanyama throughout his age-17 season.

Dec. 15, 2021: Bone contusion in right shoulder

The first right shoulder injury that Wembanyama suffered cost him roughly two months of his career. Still 17 years of age, he endured a bone contusion that kept him out from mid-December until roughly halfway through February.

June 3, 2022: Psoas injury

Wembanyama's age-17 campaign ended in a rough way. He suffered a psoas injury and was forced to miss the Pro A Finals. He did, however, win the Best Young Player award.

The psoas is a muscle on either side of the spine that enables a player to move their lower back, hips, and upper legs.

Victor Wembanyama's injury history in the NBA

Wembanyama missed just 11 games during his rookie season, 2023-24, which far exceeded what many expected due to how taller players tend to fare in the NBA. The 7'3" superstar also appeared in 45 of the Spurs' first 52 games during the 2024-25 campaign.

The positive outlook is thus that Wembanyama should be able to make a full recovery from deep vein thrombosis and continue to maintain a clean bill of health. After all, the injuries he's otherwise sustained up to this point have been minor.

Dec. 1, 2023: Right hip tightness

Wembanyama experienced his first NBA absence on Dec. 1, 2023 due to right hip tightness. It was a shining example of how fortunate he's been on the injury front, as the Frenchman returned to the lineup during the Spurs' very next game.

Dec. 19, 2023: Sore right ankle

In perhaps the greatest display of his unique nature, Wembanyama suffered what seemed to be a severe right ankle injury. He rolled it on Dec. 11 against the Houston Rockets, but managed to play three more games before finally sitting out on Dec. 19. He was back in the rotation the next time out.

Dec. 23, 2023: Sore right ankle

In what can only be described as horrible luck, Wembanyama infamously stepped on the foot of a Dallas Mavericks ballboy and turned his already sore right ankle. This resulted in many of his future absences, as the Spurs opted to keep Wembanyama out of back-to-backs.

He missed San Antonio's Dec. 23, Dec. 29, Jan. 13, Jan. 19, and Apr. 10 games for that reason.

Mar. 5, 2024: Sprained right ankle

Unfortunately, the right ankle injury that had been keeping Wembanyama out of back-to-backs took a negative turn. He suffered a sprained right ankle against the Houston Rockets on Mar. 5 and subsequently missed games on Mar. 7 and Mar. 9.

Mar. 23, 2024: Sprained left ankle

After all the damage Wembanyama's right ankle endured, it was his left ankle that kept him out for a game on Mar. 25. He sustained it two days prior and returned after being sidelined for just one outing.

Nov. 15, 2024: Bruised right knee

The longest injury absence of Wembanyama's NBA career began on Nov. 15. It lasted just three games. It was a result of the superstar suffering a bruised right knee during a Nov. 15 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.

Dec. 3, 2024: Sore lower back

Wembanyama endured a minor back injury during a Dec. 3 loss to the Phoenix Suns. It kept him out for two games before he returned to the lineup on Dec. 8. It would be nearly two months until Wembanyama missed another game.

Feb. 1, 2024: Illness

It's unclear if this had anything to do with what's since been disclosed as deep vein thrombosis. It would be irresponsible to speculate at this stage. Wembanyama missed just one game with an undisclosed illness, however, and was back in the lineup on Feb. 3.

Feb. 20, 2024: Deep vein thrombosis

Rounding out Wembanyama's generally minor NBA injury history is the scary ailment he's currently struggling with. He'll miss the rest of the 2024-25 season and hope to heal from the blood clot. Our well wishes are with Wembanyama at this trying time.