Victor Wembanyama will miss the rest of the season due to a blood clot in his shoulder, making him ineligible for major NBA awards despite being a top DPOY contender.
San Antonio Spurs phenom Victor Wembanyama will miss the remainder of the 2024-25 season due to deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in his right shoulder, ruling him out of the race for Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY) and other major regular-season awards.
San Antonio Spurs
Phoenix Suns
Detroit Pistons
New Orleans Pelicans
Houston RocketsBefore the announcement, the first-time All-Star was the overwhelming favorite for DPOY and was on track to become the youngest winner in NBA history.
However, the injury means he won't reach the league's 65-game minimum required to qualify for postseason honors.
Wembanyama was also a strong candidate for an All-NBA spot, with a legitimate shot at First Team recognition.
He had the chance to join Luka Doncic, Anthony Davis, Kevin Durant, LeBron James, Tim Duncan, and Rick Barry as the only players in NBA history to earn First-Team honors in their age-21 season, per ESPN. Now, he'll have to wait another year to chase that milestone.
Wemby also joins a growing list of stars who won't meet the 65-game threshold for end-of-season awards, including Doncic, Kawhi Leonard, Joel Embiid, Zion Williamson, Paolo Banchero, and Chet Holmgren.
Through 46 games this season, Wembanyama has averaged 24.3 points, 11.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.1 steals, and a league-leading 3.8 blocks per game.
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