NBA playoff season turned upside down by injuries to stars, none bigger than Victor Wembanyama

 

As the 2024-25 NBA season races to a conclusion, we await one final treat: the 7th game NBA Finals battle between the Indiana Pacers and the Oklahoma City Thunder. This year‘s NBA playoffs have been as thrilling as any in recent memory, as new powers pushed traditional leaders to the brink. However, these NBA playoffs have been turned upside down by serious injuries to several star players.

 

• Jason Tatum of the Boston Celtics incurred an Achilles tendon tear.
• Steph Curry, superstar of the Golden State Warriors, dropped out of his team‘s playoff run with a hamstring tear.
• Lebron James, “King James,” partially tore the medial collateral ligament of his left knee.
• Ja Morant of the Memphis Grizzlies sat out their final playoff game with a hip contusion.
• Aaron Gordon struggled with a hamstring injury in the Denver Nuggets‘ final playoff game.
• Damian Lillard, Milwaukee Bucks‘ guard, tore his Achilles tendon and is likely to miss the entire 2025-26 NBA season.
• Tyrese Haliburton, the young star point guard of the Indiana Pacers, tore his Achilles tendon early in the 7th game of the dramatic NBA finals.

 

While Haliburton‘s injury came dramatically altered the final and deciding game of the NBA season, one could argue that the most significant impact for NBA fans and the league came from the earlier injury and prolonged absence of the sensational Victor Wembanyama.

 

 

Victor Wembanyama joined the San Antonio Spurs as the first overall pick in the 2023 NBA draft. He brought an immediate positive impact to the team and the league. He has averaged nearly four blocks per game while leading the league in this category over his first two years. Wembanyama has also delivered a tremendous offensive punch. He is the first player in NBA history to record 2,000+ points, 1,000+ rebounds, and 200+ three-pointers in his first 100 career games. He is comfortable anywhere on the court, from the hoop to the three-point line, both defensively and offensively. Teams throughout the league are re-evaluating traditional player roles in light of Wembanyama‘s effectiveness on both ends of the court. Finally, given Wembanyama‘s upbringing in France, he presents the NBA with a golden opportunity to grow its international footprint and popularity.

 

For these reasons, NBA fans will recall the shocking news this past February that Wembanyama would miss the remainder of the season after developing a blood clot in his right shoulder. Even as NBA fans digested that news, Milwaukee Bucks star guard Damian Lillard was sidelined due to a blood clot in his right calf.

 

While multiple media outlets reported ‘blood clots’ in each of these players, the situation is more intricate and intriguing than the generic term ‘blood clot’ suggests. This article aims to demystify the subject of blood clots and help sports fans understand a mysterious syndrome that strikes down some of our most prodigious athletes.

 

What is the mainstream media saying about Victor Wembanyama?

 

Several high-profile websites have reported that Victor Wembanyama has been diagnosed with a “blood clot” or “deep vein thrombosis” in his right shoulder. Many of these articles compare Wembanyama‘s injury to prior NBA players who were diagnosed with ‘blood clots.’

Wikipedia

 

On 20 February, the Spurs shut Wembanyama down for the remainder of the season after discovering deep vein thrombosis in his right shoulder.

 

NBA.com

 

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

 

ESPN.com

 

Wembanyama will not play for the remainder of the 2024-25 season due to deep vein thrombosis in his right shoulder…

 

ESPN.com

 

San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama is expected to miss the remainder of the season, the team announced Thursday, because of deep vein thrombosis in his right shoulder.

 

SI.com

 

The former will be sidelined for the remainder of the season after being diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis in his right shoulder.

 

USA Today

 

Victor Wembanyama is out for the season with a shoulder injury. The San Antonio Spurs announced the sidelining of their star center due to deep vein thrombosis diagnosis, caused by a blood clot.

 

However, the reality is far more complex and nuanced, and understanding it requires a more profound intellectual engagement.

 

Over the weeks following Wembanyama‘s injury, many of these articles provided incomplete or inaccurate statements regarding blood clots in general and Wembanyama’s precise situation. Victor Wembanyama‘s situation is more complex and nuanced than just a simple blood clot, and understanding it requires a deeper intellectual engagement. Credit to the New York Times for their detailed article dated 4/3/2025,‘Doctors explain DVT, the blood clot affecting Damian Lillard and other NBA players ’

 

 

Is there more to the Victor Wembanyama story than is being reported?

 

Tom Haberstroh was the first mainstream journalist to dig deeper into the issue of blood clots. Mr. Haberstroh wrote the compelling article, ‘Why Victor Wembanyama’s Scary Diagnosis is Different from the One Chris Bosh Faced.’

 

Mr. Haberstroh is a respected sports journalist recognized for his acumen in analytics. He began by positing that Wembanyama’s extensive travel history with the Spurs had heightened his risk for blood clots.

 

The Spurs traveled 37,852 miles by the All-Star break, the most for any team in the NBA and nearly 80 percent higher than teams like the Charlotte Hornets and Detroit Pistons.

 

Haberstroh recalled a similar situation that had afflicted NBA star Chris Bosh in 2015. At that time, Haberstroh had reported on doctors discovering blood clots in Bosh’s lungs. These blood clots ultimately compelled Bosh to retire at age 31, in the prime of his career.

 

At the time, Bosh told me that extensive travel within the NBA schedule contributed to blood clots in his legs that had reached his lungs. Long sedentary rests on flights aren’t ideal for 7-footers who need to pump blood throughout their limbs.

 

Despite the superficial similarities between the two players’ situations, Mr. Haberstroh persisted in his investigation. He consulted Dr. Brian Sutterer, a recognized sports injury physician who advised Haberstroh:

 

“I don’t think travel played a role,” Sutterer told me. “The most common location for a deep vein thrombosis is the legs, and it’s often related to the blood pooling from long-term immobilization like air travel or recovery from surgery. If Wembanyama’s was a clot in the leg, absolutely the long travel could be a factor. But in the arm, his anatomy and repetitive motion is the likely cause.”

 

Sutterer indicated that overhead motions — like, say, shooting a basketball — can create what’s called thoracic outlet syndrome, which occurs due to repetitive compression and stress on the vein below the clavicle. It’s not a surprise, Sutterer noted, that Wembanyama’s blood clot was found inside the arm that he shoots with, his right shoulder.

 

Before reading Mr. Haberstroh‘s article, I had been concerned that nobody was asking the right question. Could Victor Wembanyama‘s blood clot indicate the presence of thoracic outlet syndrome? Mr. Haberstroh was the first person to pursue this possibility. Kudos to Mr. Haberstroh for continuing his investigation beyond the easy first conclusion.

 

Shortly after Mr. Haberstroh‘s article, the New York Times posted a relevant article, Doctors explain DVT, the blood clot affecting Damian Lillard and other NBA players.

 

Unfortunately, without pertinent anatomic diagrams, the typical reader would have trouble understanding the diseases the New York Times discussed (deep vein thrombosis vs. thoracic outlet syndrome). We aim to address this issue and provide helpful information for those readers seeking to understand blood clots in athletes.

 

I have felt all along that Victor Wembanyama likely has venous thoracic outlet syndrome. To understand why, we need to take the following steps:

 

1. Define the types and causes of blood clots
2. Define the thoracic outlet
3. Explain how thoracic outlet syndrome can cause blood clots
4. Define the causes of venous thoracic outlet syndrome
5. Discuss the treatment of venous thoracic outlet syndrome
6. Examine and compare with other NBA players who suffered from blood clots
7. Explain why this information supports the diagnosis of venous thoracic outlet syndrome in Victor Wembanyama

 

Are there different types of blood clots? What causes blood clots?

 

Dr. Rudolf Virchow, known as “the father of modern pathology,” proposed three factors to assess the risk of thrombosis. These are known as Virchow’s Triad:

 

1. Stasis: Slow flow of blood
2. Hypercoagulability: a quality of blood that makes it more likely to clot than normal blood
3. Endothelial injury: damage to the lining of blood vessels, which usually prevents blood clotting

 

What does this mean in real life?

 

Blood flow in the leg veins can become sluggish during long airplane flights. Clots may form in cancer patients or in rare individuals who lack a specific blood protein. Medical procedures involving catheters can damage the lining of the veins. Additionally, external compression of the veins in the shoulder can lead to a condition known as venous thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS).

 

When one or more of these factors are present, the risk of blood clot formation increases.

 

Where do blood clots occur?

 

In 2017 and 2022, reviews of an extensive registry of patients with venous blood clots revealed the following:

 

The vast majority of venous blood clots form in the legs. Only 5% of blood clots form in the upper extremities. Rarely, blood clots form in the veins of the brain or abdomen.

 

Of all blood clots that develop in the upper extremities, 70% of patients have active cancer, recent surgery, prolonged immobilization, estrogen use, and pregnancy. Only 5% of these patients suffer from the unique condition known as venous thoracic outlet syndrome.

 

Pulmonary emboli are blood clots that appear in the lungs, but they do not arise in the lungs. Blood clots form in veins in other parts of the body, break off, and travel to the lungs, creating pulmonary emboli. These blood clots and emboli arise much more frequently in the lower extremities than in the upper extremities. Doctors understand that pulmonary emboli are a sign of blood clots forming elsewhere in the body, and they always investigate immediately to locate the source of those blood clots. Finding and treating those blood clots is of critical importance for the treatment and prevention of future pulmonary emboli.

 

In the review from 2022, the authors specifically focused on the small group of patients who suffered blood clots caused by venous thoracic outlet syndrome (VTOS). Although patients with venous thoracic outlet syndrome comprised only 5% of the total group of patients with upper extremity blood clots, these VTOS patients were significantly more likely to be male, younger (37 years old vs. 57 years old), and more likely to be suffering their first blood clot. These facts will play into our story later. For now, we need to learn about the thoracic outlet.

 

The thoracic outlet

 

Where is the thoracic outlet?

 

The thoracic outlet is the space between the spine, the shoulder, and the upper chest along each side of the neck. If you look in a mirror, you can see the thoracic outlet as the hollow area behind the collarbone on each side of your neck. You can feel the thoracic outlet on either side by putting the fingers of one hand over and behind the collarbone on the other side of your neck and pressing downwards lightly. The large muscle just beyond your fingertips is the trapezius.

 

 

What is the thoracic outlet?

 

The thoracic outlet is a complex tunnel that connects the neck, chest, and shoulder on each side. Specific anatomic structures define the margins of the thoracic outlet on each side. The thoracic outlet starts along the side of the cervical spine. It occupies the space above the lung and the first rib, behind and under the collarbone, and anterior to the large trapezius muscle. The thoracic outlet is cone-shaped, with the broad base close to the cervical spine and the narrow apex of the cone entering the shoulder at the armpit.

 

 

Three vital structures pass through each thoracic outlet:

 

1. The subclavian artery on each side carries fresh blood from the heart through the thoracic outlet to the arm.
2. The subclavian vein on each side carries venous blood from the arm through the thoracic outlet to the heart.
3. Five nerves exit the spine on each side to form the brachial plexus, a large cluster of nerves that passes through the thoracic outlet to enter the arm.

 

 

Each thoracic outlet comprises several smaller tunnels coursing between the neck and the shoulder. This diagram illustrates some of the structures that define these tunnels.

 

 

Many people have unique and different thoracic outlet anatomy on one or both sides. Some are born with an extra muscle or an extra rib; in others, the brachial plexus nerves may take an anomalous course. Abnormal or variant anatomy may predispose the patient to thoracic outlet syndrome with relatively minor superimposed trauma or repetitive stress injury.

 

To make matters more complex, the tunnels of the thoracic outlet change with arm motion. This diagram illustrates how raising the arms narrows the tunnels of the thoracic outlet, potentially compressing the subclavian vein or other vital structures.

 

 

What is thoracic outlet syndrome?

 

Over the past few years, sports fans have been compelled to learn more about thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS). These fans have watched several elite pitchers have their careers shortened, ended, or sidetracked by their diagnosis of TOS. Exceptional pitchers, including Stephen Strasburg, Matt Harvey, Josh Beckett, and J.R. Richard, suffered setbacks after receiving the diagnosis of thoracic outlet syndrome.

 

Collegiate athletes also develop TOS. Overhead athletes, including swimmers, tennis players, rock climbers, water polo players, and volleyball players, are at increased risk for TOS.

 

Thoracic outlet syndrome occurs when a patient experiences upper extremity symptoms resulting from compression, stretching, or damage of one of the three critical structures that pass through the thoracic outlet. Different symptoms arise from the involvement of each of these vital structures. Thus, there are three primary types of thoracic outlet syndrome:

 

1. Compression, stretching, or damage of the subclavian artery causes arterial thoracic outlet syndrome.
2. Compression, stretching, or damage of the subclavian vein causes venous thoracic outlet syndrome.
3. Compression, stretching, or damage of the brachial plexus causes neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome.

 

 

What causes thoracic outlet syndrome?

 

At baseline, any anatomic or acquired abnormality of the thoracic outlet that causes compression, stretching, or damage of the subclavian artery, subclavian vein, or brachial plexus may result in the symptoms of thoracic outlet syndrome. In addition, movement of the shoulder and arm causes narrowing of the thoracic outlet, no matter how much space is present at baseline.

 

Thoracic outlet syndrome typically occurs after trauma such as a car accident or due to repetitive motion seen with extensive computer use or overhead athletics. Car accidents often cause injury to the neck muscles, resulting in microbleeds and muscle swelling. These enlarged and tense muscles then narrow the tunnels of the thoracic outlet, altering the position of the neck and shoulders. These postural changes contribute to further narrowing of the thoracic outlet, compressing or stretching the critical structures that pass through the tunnels, thereby causing the symptoms of thoracic outlet syndrome.

 

Repetitive stress injuries of various types may cause thoracic outlet syndrome. Many people develop thoracic outlet syndrome after spending hours each day using non-ergonomic workstations for their occupation. Holding poor posture for hours each day can change the flexibility and balance of neck and shoulder muscles, leading to persistent poor posture even while not at work. These changes can damage nerves and blood vessels and cause thoracic outlet syndrome.

 

In high-level overhead athletes, we observe increased frequency, amplitude, and force of upper extremity movements, which increases the risk of the athlete developing thoracic outlet syndrome. These athletes spend innumerable hours training, practicing, and playing while using their upper extremities in extreme positions with high-magnitude muscle contractions. One can imagine how much stress a baseball pitcher goes through in a single game, considering the number of pitches, the extreme position of the arm during wind-up, and the magnitude of force behind each pitch.

 

 

Similarly, a basketball player expends tremendous energy in an unusual position with arms overhead pursuing such activities as shooting, defending, blocking shots, and pursuing rebounds. The player must repeat these high-amplitude motions numerous times throughout a game, often in extreme positions. Imagine a player blocking a shot with one arm extended overhead while his neck and shoulder are stretched and twisted to one side. Additionally, basketball players shoot with their preferred hand and play defense with one arm overhead, which creates asymmetric stress and repetitive motion.

 

 

People born with an extra muscle or rib or an unusual course of the brachial plexus have less space in their thoracic outlet tunnels at baseline, which increases the risk of developing thoracic outlet syndrome from occupational or recreational activities.

 

How is venous thoracic outlet syndrome treated?

 

While the treatment of venous thoracic outlet syndrome is beyond the scope of this article, most authorities agree on basic guidelines for treatment.

 

First, doctors dissolve the blood clot by either administering an intravenous medication that blocks further clotting and allows the body to dissolve the current blood clot or by administering an intravenous medication that actively dissolves the blood clot. These medications are powerful, and their side effects may include uncontrolled internal bleeding, so they must be administered under careful supervision in a hospital.

 

Second, once the original blood clot has resolved, a doctor can inject dye into the affected vein and take x-rays, called a venogram. If the vein is abnormal, doctors may treat it by inflating a balloon to widen a narrowed area.

 

Following the venogram and possible balloon dilation of the vein, the patient takes a less powerful oral medication to prevent the blood clot from returning. The patient takes the oral medication as an outpatient, with less stringent supervision. While this oral medication increases the risk of internal bleeding, the risk is less than that seen with intravenous medications.

 

Next are several options. The patient can remain on the oral medications. If the patient is not a competitive athlete, this may be acceptable. However, the risk of internal bleeding for a competitive athlete is deemed to be too high, so this treatment option is considered unacceptable.

 

Instead, doctors look for a definitive treatment to reduce the risk of further blood clots. In some cases, this involves placing a metal cage, known as a stent, across the abnormal vein. However, stent failures are common, likely due to the original anatomic abnormality that caused the blood clot in the first place.

 

Definitive treatment may require surgical removal of a part of the first rib on the affected side, as the first rib often contributes to the compression of the vein that caused the blood clot. This surgery is complex and typically performed by surgeons with extensive experience in it. Patients may require a prolonged recovery period. Outcomes of this surgery are not guaranteed and may include incomplete resolution of symptoms or recurrence of blood clots.

 

Have other NBA players gotten blood clots?

 

Yes, many notable NBA players have developed blood clots.

 

But the story isn’t as simple as the term ‘blood clots’ suggests. Let’s examine in more detail the history of some of the most notable NBA athletes with blood clots.

 

Chris Bosh

 

Chris Bosh was an 11-time All-Star. Bosh, Dwyane Wade, and LeBron James helped the Miami Heat reach the NBA finals four straight years, from 2011 through 2014. In February 2015, Bosh suffered a pulmonary embolism (blood clots in his lungs) and missed the remainder of the season. He recovered to play in the 2015-2016 season, but in February 2016, a blood clot developed in his leg. Bosh retired before the following season.

 

 

Anderson Varejao

 

Anderson Varejao of the Cleveland Cavaliers underwent surgery for a thigh muscle injury in early 2013. While recovering from surgery, Varejao developed a pulmonary embolism and missed the remainder of the 2012-2013 season. Varejao did return to the NBA, retiring following the 2020-2021 season.

 

Mirza Teletovic

 

Mirza Teletovic of the Brooklyn Nets developed fatigue and severe shortness of breath late in the 2014-2015 NBA season. In early 2015, Teletovic underwent tests showing blood clots in his lungs.

 

Teletovic’s doctors told him they believed the most likely situation in his case was that a deep bruise he sustained on his hip during a Dec. 8 game against Cleveland caused a blood clot… Eventually, the mass traveled back to his lungs, causing the symptoms that eventually led him to be examined.

 

Teletovic missed the rest of the regular season but did make a brief appearance in that year’s playoffs. He returned to play for the Milwaukee Bucks and the Phoenix Suns. Early in the 2017-2018 season, Teletovic underwent surgery and developed pulmonary emboli during recovery. He retired from the NBA after that season.

 

Brandon Ingram

 

Brandon Ingram was diagnosed with a blood clot in the shoulder of his shooting arm in March 2019. Unique to Ingram among all of these cases is the fact he was diagnosed with thoracic outlet syndrome. Doctors treated Ingram by removing part of the first rib in his shooting arm. Although not mentioned in most articles on Wembanyama, the astute Tom Haberstroh notes,

 

… the closest reference point for Wembanyama’s case is another slender star, Brandon Ingram. The Toronto Raptor underwent thoracic outlet decompression surgery on his shooting arm in March 2019 when doctors found a blood clot in his shoulder…

 

Ausar Thompson and Christian Koloko

 

Ausar Thompson and Christian Koloko are notable recent NBA players to receive the concerning diagnosis of “blood clot issues” in March and April 2023, respectively. Multiple online sources use the same terminology without any medical diagnosis or clarification. Perhaps this represents a new trend for these players and their representatives.

 

Damian Lillard

 

In March of 2025, shortly after Victor Wembanyama‘s diagnosis, Milwaukee Bucks‘ star guard Damian Lillard developed a blood clot in his right calf.

 

 

What is the cause of blood clots in these elite athletes?

 

Sports fans have heard the words ’blood clots’ used extensively online and on major broadcasts, but the reality for these athletes is more nuanced. These nuances are, in fact, quite important. The location and cause of blood clots result from different mechanisms, which can drastically alter the treatment and prognosis of each athlete. We can now compare the different types of blood clots:

 

• Blood clots in the legs
• Blood clots in the lungs
• Blood clots in the shoulder

 

Blood clots that form in the legs are also known as ‘deep vein thrombosis,’ abbreviated as ‘DVT.’ DVT in the legs commonly occurs when a person is immobilized, such as after surgery or during a long plane flight, or when a patient’s blood clots too easily, which may be associated with birth control pills or a genetic predisposition.

 

Blood clots seldom form in the lungs. When we hear of an athlete diagnosed with a blood clot in their lungs, it almost always means that the blood clot formed elsewhere, then broke free and traveled to the lungs. This event is known as a ‘pulmonary embolism.’ Pulmonary embolism is a worrisome and potentially fatal event.

 

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) of the upper extremity is very uncommon, representing only 5% of all DVTs. These typically occur in patients with active cancer, recent surgery, or prolonged immobilization. Within this small group lies an even smaller subgroup whose only apparent risk factor for a blood clot is strenuous repetitive athletic activity. The condition that causes upper extremity DVT in this small group is known as venous thoracic outlet syndrome.

 

Do all athletes with blood clots have thoracic outlet syndrome?

 

This article describes several elite basketball players who have been diagnosed with blood clots. Of these, only a few have been diagnosed with thoracic outlet syndrome. NBA players have been diagnosed with blood clots in their legs, lungs, and shoulders. These blood clots arose from different mechanisms, and not all are due to thoracic outlet syndrome. The diagnosis, treatment, and recovery time for those players with thoracic outlet syndrome are quite different than for those players diagnosed with blood clots due to other causes. After reading this article, the next time you learn that an NBA player has been diagnosed with a blood clot, you will hopefully ask the questions, ‘What type of blood clot?’ and, ‘Where is the blood clot?’ Certainly, not all athletes with blood clots have venous thoracic outlet syndrome. The origin and type of blood clot will profoundly affect the treatment and recovery period of the athlete.

 

Additionally, while this article primarily focuses on athletes with blood clots and venous thoracic outlet syndrome, other athletes are at risk of developing a different type of thoracic outlet syndrome, known as neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome. Neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome occurs when compression of the brachial plexus nerve bundle causes pain, numbness, tingling, and weakness of the upper extremity. Elite baseball pitchers, including Stephen Strasburg and Matt Harvey, have been diagnosed with the neurogenic type of thoracic outlet syndrome. Neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome arises from a mechanism different from venous thoracic outlet syndrome. While baseball pitchers are more likely to develop neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome and basketball players are more likely to develop venous thoracic outlet syndrome, there are exceptions. The best-known example is Markelle Fultz, the Philadelphia 76ers’ 2017 No. 1 draft pick and No. 1 overall draft pick. Fultz was diagnosed with neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome in early 2019, but to the best of my knowledge, never had a blood clot.

 

Are all athletes at risk for developing VTOS?

 

Overhead athletes are at increased risk for developing thoracic outlet syndrome of all types. Overall, the risk of developing thoracic outlet syndrome is higher in athletes who participate in sports such as baseball (especially pitchers), basketball, swimming, water polo, volleyball, and rock climbing compared to non-overhead athletes. Thoracic outlet syndrome occurs in athletes at the high school, collegiate, and professional levels.

 

 

Does Victor Wembanyama have venous thoracic outlet syndrome?

 

Let‘s address the big question: Does Victor Wembanyama have venous thoracic outlet syndrome? Let‘s lay out what we know to date about Victor Wembanyama:

 

• He has a confirmed blood clot in his upper extremity. Other NBA players have had blood clots in their lower extremities. Upper-extremity blood clots arise from a different mechanism than lower-extremity blood clots.
• Wembanyama has none of the most common risk factors for upper extremity DVT, including active cancer, recent surgery, prolonged immobilization, estrogen treatment, or pregnancy. The remaining most likely cause of upper-extremity DVT has to be venous thoracic outlet syndrome.
• Patients who present with upper-extremity DVT caused by venous TOS are younger and male and have no prior history of DVT elsewhere. Victor Wembanyama fits these criteria.
• Venous thoracic outlet syndrome is well-known among overhead athletes, occurring particularly in their dominant arm. Basketball demands repetitive motion of the dominant arm. Wembanyama‘s clot arose in his dominant arm.
• Blood clots in the shoulder are not typically associated with long airplane flights, contrary to statements made by several media sources.
• The overwhelming majority of NBA players with blood clots are known to have presented with pulmonary emboli, which originated in their legs. That disease process is entirely different from the process that causes upper-extremity blood clots. The only exception we know of is Brandon Ingram, who was diagnosed with and treated for venous thoracic outlet syndrome.

 

For these reasons, the diagnosis of venous thoracic outlet syndrome is highly consistent with the known facts of Victor Wembanyama‘s case, making it quite likely that he has venous thoracic outlet syndrome. I feel it is probable that Mr. Wembanyama has undergone or will undergo surgery to treat venous thoracic outlet syndrome.

 

As of the date of writing, several media outlets have reported that Wembanyama has indeed undergone surgery, although details are sparse. One highly credible source, Frédéric Fauthoux, the head coach of the French National team, spoke about Wembanyama with the French site LeEquipe. Fauthoux stated definitively that Wembanyama had undergone surgery: “We had Victor before his operation; he is motivated to be part of the team… But he feels good; everything is going well (in his rehabilitation).” Wembanyama has declined to confirm such surgery, stating, “I‘m not going to expand on my medical record.”

 

This article will inform sports fans and raise awareness of thoracic outlet syndrome among both professional and amateur athletes. Regardless of Victor Wembanyama‘s diagnosis and treatment, we, along with all NBA fans, wish him a complete recovery and a rapid return to his stellar level of play.