Kevin Durant shares heartfelt message for Victor Wembanyama as Spurs star begins long road to recovery

The San Antonio Spurs were dealt some unfortunate news following NBA All-Star weekend regarding Victor Wembanyama. The second-year All-Star big man was ruled out for the remainder of the season due to deep vein thrombosis in his shooting shoulder.

Historically, blood clots are a scary sign for NBA players, including two-time NBA champion Chris Bosh, whose career was cut short due to such injuries. The reigning Rookie of the Year appeared in 46 games this season, averaging 24.3 points, 11.0 rebounds and a league-leading 3.8 blocks per game.

On Friday morning, Kevin Durant offered heartfelt words to his fellow All-Star, giving Wembanyama words of advice.

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"I'm thinking about (Victor Wembanyama). I'm sure the whole basketball world is thinking about it, but somebody like that who has a strong mind, he's going to put his best foot forward," Durant said.

"I don't even know Vic well enough, but I can just tell. Go find some more Legos to put together, read some new books, and then, when it's time to get back on the court, lock in."

Victor Wembanyama eliminated from Awards race

Due to the NBA's new award policy, Victor Wembanyama is out of the awards races this season after being ruled out for the remainder of the season. According to league rules, a player must appear in at least 65 games to qualify for regular season awards races.

Under the new ruling, a game counts if a player surpasses the 20-minute mark of playtime. Prior to being ruled out, Wembanyama was the heavy favorite to win the 2024-25 Defensive Player of the Year award, but now won't qualify for any awards this season.

The new ruling also means Victor Wembanyama will miss out on the All-NBA voting and All-Defensive voting. He's leading the league with 3.8 blocks a night, averaging 1.1 steals per game as well.

Memphis Grizzlies forward Jaren Jackson Jr. (-125) moved into the first-place spot in the odds rankings, followed by Evan Mobley (+120), according to DraftKings Sportsbook.

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