5 NBA players who battled blood clots before Victor Wembanyama's season-ending scare
NBA fans were shocked after Victor Wembanyama was ruled out for the remainder of the 2024-25 season with a deep vein thrombosis. The San Antonio Spurs young star was in the middle of a solid season, becoming an All-Star for the first time in his career while keeping the Spurs in the race for a playoff spot.
The Spurs believe this is an isolated episode, meaning there isn't a major risk regarding Wembanyama's health. The Frenchman joined a long list of players who had to deal with blood clots, with some fearing for their careers and lives.
Here are five NBA players who dealt with the same issue before Wemby.
5 NBA players who suffered from blood clots before Victor Wembanyama
Anderson Varejao
Anderson Varejao suffered from blood clots in 2013 when he was 30 years old. The Cleveland Cavaliers fan-favorite dealt with a life-threatening case, as he was hospitalized with a blood clot in his left lung.
Like Victor Wembanyama, he was forced to miss the rest of the 2012-2013 season but returned to the court the following campaign.
Ausar Thompson
Ausar Thompson of the Detroit Pistons also dealt with this issue. He was diagnosed with blood clot issues in March 2024 and missed eight months of action.
Fortunately, he's back on the court. While not getting the same attention as his brother, Ausar is playing great for Detroit, averaging 9.3 points, five rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.6 steals per game.
Christian Koloko
Another big man like Victor Wembanyama, then-Toronto Raptors center Christian Koloko had a blood clot issue in 2023, threatening his career. Months prior to Ausar Thompson's diagnosis, Shams Charania reported that Koloko was dealing with something worse than initially thought.
He was cleared to return to the court in October and has been with the LA Lakers, averaging 2.2 ppg and 2.2 rpg while shooting 65.1% from the field.
Brandon Ingram
While he was a member of the LA Lakers, Brandon Ingram was diagnosed with a deep venous thrombosis in his right arm in 2019. The Lakers ruled him out for the remainder of the season before dealing Ingram to the New Orleans Pelicans in the trade that brought Anthony Davis to Los Angeles.
Chris Bosh
This is the most dramatic case on this list as Chris Bosh's career ended after struggling with blood clots during the final years of his NBA journey. He officially retired in 2019, three years after playing his final game.
It all started in 2015, when Bosh missed the second half of that season after a blood clot migrated to his lungs. Another clot was discovered in his leg in 2016, which meant the beginning of the end for the two-time NBA champion.