Tag: victor wembanyama

Victor Wembanyama out for season due to medical issue in shoulder

The San Antonio Spurs today announced that Victor Wembanyama has been diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis in his right shoulder.

The condition was discovered when Wembanyama returned to San Antonio following the All-Star Game in San Francisco.

Wembanyama is expected to miss the remainder of the 2024-25 regular season.

Per the Mayo Clinic website, “deep vein thrombosis (DVT) occurs when a blood clot (thrombus) forms in one or more of the deep veins in the body, usually in the legs.”

Per the Washington Post, “the Spurs hope Wembanyama will be ready to return for the start of the 2025-26 season, according to people with knowledge of the situation. Toronto Raptors forward Brandon Ingram and Detroit Pistons guard Ausar Thompson received similar diagnoses in recent years, and both returned to the court after making full recoveries.”

Per the San Antonio Express-News, “the 7-foot-3 center, the No. 1 overall pick of the 2023 NBA Draft who is a leading candidate to become the face of the league after LeBron James retires, competed in his first All-Star Game last weekend in San Francisco. Wembanyama was averaging 22.5 points, 10.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists, a league-best 3.8 blocks and 1.2 steals per game this season and was the leading candidate in the race for Defensive Player of the Year honors.”

Victor Wembanyama named West Defensive Player of Month for October and November 2024

San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama has been named the NBA’s first-ever Western Conference Defensive Player of the Month for October/November.

Kicking off the inaugural season of the award, Wembanyama is joined by Hawks guard Dyson Daniels in the East.

In 16 games to start the season, Wembanyama led the league with 3.56 blocks per game and 57 total blocks while averaging 1.31 steals in October/November. He also accounted for 45.9% of the Spurs total blocks. The sophomore’s 103.8 defensive rating helped anchor the Spurs to an eighth-ranked defense and has put them among the top three shot-blocking teams in the league.

A season after becoming the first rookie in NBA history to be named All-Defensive First Team, opponents shot 104-262 from the field last month when guarded by Wembanyama as he held a 39.7% defended field goal percentage. Within four feet of the rim, teams took 3.3% fewer shots when Wembanyama is on the floor and shot just 38.2% within four to 10 feet.

Victor Wembanyama wins 2023-24 NBA Rookie of the Year award

The NBA today yesterday that Victor Wembanyama has been named the 2023-24 NBA Rookie of the Year. He is the first French player to win Rookie of the Year and third Spur to capture the award, joining Tim Duncan and David Robinson.

Wembanyama appeared in 71 games, averaging 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, 3.58 blocks and 1.24 steals in 29.7 minutes, leading all rookies in scoring, rebounds and blocks per game.

WEMBY SEASON HIGHLIGHTS

Accumulated 1,522 points, 755 rebounds, 274 assists, 254 blocks: The first player in NBA history with 1,500+ points, 700+ rebounds, 250+ assists, 250+ blocks and 100+ 3-pointers in a season.

Second rookie in NBA history to lead the league in blocks: 3.58 BPG and 254 total blocks (Manute Bol, 1985-86).

Registered 342 combined steals and blocks: First rookie to eclipse 300+ combined steal and blocks in a season since Shaquille O’Neal in 1992-93.

Youngest player in NBA history to record a 20/20 game: 20 points, 20 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 blocks vs. Chicago on Dec. 8.

Youngest player in NBA history to register a 5×5 game: 27 points, 10 rebounds, 8 assists, 5 steals, 5 blocks at LA Lakers on Feb. 23.

Youngest player in NBA history to post a 40/20 game: 40 points, 20 rebounds, 7 assists vs. New York on March 29.

First NBA rookie to have a triple-double involving blocks and another involving assists in the same season.

First player in NBA history to average 3.50 blocks and 1.0 three-pointers.

Wemby leads Spurs to upset win over Thunder

The San Antonio Spurs may have the 3rd worst record in the NBA, but superstar rookie Victor Wembanyama is giving them a season to remember.

He’s doing some things we don’t see from most NBA players over the course of their career, let alone in a rookie season.

Per ESPN.com:

In front of their home fans for the first time in 26 days, the San Antonio Spurs and rookie Victor Wembanyama put on quite the show.

After giving up a 12-point third-quarter lead and falling behind in the fourth, the Spurs stormed back for a 132-118 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder. Wembanyama put his stamp on the victory with a 3-pointer with 2:10 left to put San Antonio up nine and then a block on the Thunder’s Chet Holmgren 20 seconds later.

Wembanyama finished with 28 points, 13 rebounds, 7 assists and 5 blocks and was 5-of-7 from 3-point range. He became the first player in NBA history to have at least 25 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, 5 blocks and 5 3-pointers in a game.

Per the San Antonio Express-News:

Wembanyama packed another box score with 28 points, 13 rebounds, seven assists and five blocks, and made a flurry of plays down the stretch that helped the Spurs hold on for the upset.

Devin Vassell threw in 28 points of his own to go with a career best-matching nine assists and Jeremy Sochan added 21 points and 10 rebounds of his own as the Spurs raced past an Oklahoma City team vying for the top seed in the Western Conference.

All in all, it was a stirring welcome-back game after the Spurs ended a 1-8 rodeo road trip ended Tuesday in Minnesota.

“I can go down the line and name everybody who was hooping,” Vassell said, “but I mean it’s a bunch of guys who pitched it.”

San Antonio Spurs sign Victor Wembanyama to his rookie contract

The San Antonio Spurs have signed forward Victor Wembanyama to his rookie contract.

Wembanyama, 7-3/225, was selected with the first overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. Prior to the NBA with French-club Boulogne-Levallois Metropolitans 92 in the LNB Pro A French League, he helped lead the team to the 2023 LNB Pro A Finals and a 23-11 regular season record. In 34 regular season games with Mets 92, Wembanyama averaged 21.6 points, 10.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 3.0 blocks in 32.3 minutes. In 10 postseason games, he averaged 17.3 points, 9.2 rebounds, 2.7 blocks and 2.7 assists per game.

The Le Chesnay, France native wrapped up the season earning league MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, Best Young Player, Scoring Champion, Blocked Shots Champion and was named to the All-LNB First Team. Throughout his career, he’s earned Best Young Player three times (2021, 2022, 2023), is a two-time LNB All-Star (2022, 2023), two-time All-LNB First Team and won the 2022 LNB Pro A Championship with ASVEL Basket.

The 19-year-old began his professional basketball career at age 15 with Nanterre 92 in the EuroCup League from 2019-21. Prior to joining Mets 92 for the 2022-23 season, Wembanyama played for the French club ASVEL Basket from 2021-22.

Wembanyama will be part of the Spurs Summer League team in Las Vegas at the 2K24 Summer League starting July 7.

San Antonio Spurs select Victor Wembanyama with first overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft

The San Antonio Spurs today selected Victor Wembanyama with the first overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft.

The first French player selected No. 1 overall in NBA Draft history, Wembanyama (Wem-ban-YAH-muh) joins David Robinson and Tim Duncan as the only top overall picks in Spurs franchise history.

Wembanyama, 7-3/225, most recently played with French-club Boulogne-Levallois Metropolitans 92 in the LNB Pro A French League during the 2022-23 season, where he helped lead the team to the LNB Pro A Finals and a 23-11 regular season record. In 34 regular season games with Mets 92, he averaged 21.6 points, 10.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 3.0 blocks in 32.3 minutes. In 10 postseason games, Wembanyama averaged 17.3 points, 9.2 rebounds, 2.7 blocks and 2.7 assists.

The Le Chesnay, France native wrapped up the season being named league MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, Best Young Player, Scoring Champion, Blocked Shots Champion and was named to the All-LNB First Team. Throughout his career, he’s earned Best Young Player three times (2021, 2022, 2023), is a two-time LNB All-Star (2022, 2023), named to the All-LNB First Team twice and won the 2022 LNB Pro A Championship with ASVEL Basket.

Wembanyama played his first games in the United States in October 2022 during a pair of exhibition games against the G League Ignite in Las Vegas. In his U.S. debut, he recorded 37 points, 4 rebounds and 5 blocks. In the second game, he had 36 points, 11 rebounds and 4 blocks in a Metropolitans 92 win.

The 19-year-old started his professional basketball career at the age of 15 with Nanterre 92 in the Euro Cup League from 2019-21. Prior to joining the Mets 92 for the 2022-23 season, Wembanyama played for the French club ASVEL Basket from 2021-22.

Wembanyama will wear No. 1 for the Spurs.

Spurs select Victor Wembanyama first overall in 2023 NBA Draft

Via ESPN.com:

The Victor Wembanyama era has officially begun in San Antonio, as the Spurs made him the No. 1 overall pick in Thursday’s NBA draft.

Wembanyama, a 7-foot-5 French phenom with an 8-foot wingspan, walked across the stage at the Barclays Center in New York to shake NBA commissioner Adam Silver’s hand and formally mark the start of his new career.

Wembanyama, 19, is considered by many to be a generational talent — a player who can defend and play above the rim but also move with such fluidity that he can also hit step-back 3-pointers off one leg.

When the Spurs won the right to draft Wembanyama by winning the lottery on May 16, Spurs managing partner Peter J. Holt leaped with joy from his seat on stage inside Chicago’s McCormick Place Convention Center.