Wembanyama out for season due to blood clot; Portis suspended for using banned substance

Sports

THE respective campaigns of the San Antonio Spurs and the Milwaukee Bucks have just been dealt with massive blows.

The Spurs will play the remainder of the 2024-25 NBA season without their prized big man Victor Wembanyama while the Bucks will be missing their own reliable forward in Bobby Portis Jr. for a ton of games.

Wembanyama will be out for the 2024-25 season after he was diagnosed with a blood clot in his right shoulder, the Spurs announced on Friday (Philippine time), February 21.

The Spurs said Wembanyama’s condition — deep vein thrombosis — was diagnosed this week after he returned from the All-Star Game.

The condition needs blood-thinning medication, which typically precludes a player from participating in a contact sport such as basketball.

Wembanyama, the reigning Kia Rookie of the Year, was stellar in his first year in the league as he averaged 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 3.6 blocks per game in 71 games with the Spurs.

A favorite for the Kia Defensive Player of the Year award, Wembanyama is leading the NBA in blocked shots (3.8 bpg) while also posting 24.3 points, 11 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game. He has already taken 403 3-pointers and blocked 176 shots this season. No player in NBA history has ever finished a season with those numbers, yet Wembanyama did it this season by the All-Star break.

Wembanyama’s injury have affected NBA players before, including now-retired and Hall of Famer Chris Bosh, whose career was cut short after he was diagnosed with blood clots.

While some consider the injury career-threatening, some athletes have come back, sometimes better than ever, after dealing with blood clots.

Portis Jr., on the other hand, was slapped with a 25-game suspension after he tested positive for the painkiller Tramadol, a violation of the league’s anti-drug program.

Portis will not be able to play until April 8.

Portis’ took the painkiller “unintentionally,” said his agent, Mark Bartelstein.

Portis thought he was taking Toradol, which is approved and is something that he has taken before, Bartelstein said.

This season, Portis is averaging 13.7 points and 8.3 rebounds per game in a reserve role for the Bucks.(CCM)