Victor Wembanyama announced his return to the basketball court after the serious injury (deep vein thrombosis in a shoulder) he suffered five months ago in an interview with ‘L’Equipe’, in which he admitted that he feared he would not be able to play again.
“If I had to play a match tomorrow, it would be risky. I have to recover a lot of reflexes, both mentally and muscle memory.”
Klay Thompson fuel dating rumors with rapper Megan Thee Stallion with a steamy video
“Today I can say that I have officially left the thrombosis behind” in one leg, says the San Antonio Spurs’ star French center, who is participating in some team-building sessions with his team while the younger players compete in the summer league in search of an opportunity.
I was afraid that I would not be able to play basketball again, I think it is something that happens to all of us
Wemby, 21, was selected first overall in the 2023 draft and after his first season he won the Rookie of the Year award, thanks to his 2.24m height and the enormous wingspan of his arms, but also to the intelligence of his game despite his youth.
However, the progression of his second season was cut short by the problem in his leg, discovered on February 20, which forced him to take an indefinite leave of absence and caused him to fear that he would have to give up basketball, as has happened to other players for the same reason.
“I was afraid that I would not be able to play basketball again, I think it is something that happens to all of us,” he explains.
Wembanyama will not play Eurobasket with France: “No risks can be taken”
The interview, conducted last Friday, took place just afterWembanyama was given the medical all-clear to return to training, although he is aware that he will have to return very gradually.
“If I had to play a game tomorrow, it would be risky. I have to recover a lot of reflexes, both mentally and muscle memory,” he explains. Still, he says he will come back stronger than ever.
This gradual return has caused hiswithdrawal from the Eurobasket, which begins on August 27, a decision he made together with the coaching staff of the French national team.
“When you have such a serious health problem in life in general (…) You can’t take risks,” he explains.
Wembanyama learned kung fu at a Shaolin monastery during injury: “You had to do 1,000 kicks”
Wembanyama details in the interview that he has taken advantage of this forced break to travel the world, with stays in Costa Rica, Japan and China. In the latter country, he was learning meditation and kung fu at the Shaolin monastery, the place where this martial art was invented.
It was very hard. I discovered movements that we never do in our lives. We used muscles that we hardly use and they were overloaded very quickly
“It was very hard. I discovered movements that we never do in our lives. We had to do more than a thousand kicks every day, jumps, balance exercises, stretching. We used muscles that we hardly use and that were overloaded very quickly,” he recalls.
This is how Wembanyama sees the future of the Spurs: “They are masters in the art of building teams”
The key player for the Spurs to try to revive the laurels they achieved in past decades with big men such as ‘The Admiral’ David Robinson or Tim Duncan believes that the Texas franchise does not need to look for big stars in the market.
“The Spurs are masters in the art of building teams without going out to look for great players or sacrificing the balance of the group,” he recalls.
Finally, he insists on his “dream” of making his entire NBA career “in one franchise,” although he says he has not yet thought about the contract extension to which he will be entitled in a year’s time, worth about $300 million over five years.
This news was originally published on this post .
About the author
Bill Belichick’s UNC misses bowl eligibility after trick play by Duke
When Bill Belichick was introduced as UNC head coach 11 long months ago, he revealed, joked or lied that his first words as a child were "Beat Duke."His program fell short of that goal on Saturday, and the result is a disappointing season will officially end next weekend. The Tar Heels lost to Duke 32-25, pushing their record down to 4-7 and leaving them unable to reach bowl eligibility next week against NC State.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementIt wasn't just any loss to their biggest rivals either. At home, UNC had come back from down 24-10 to take a 25-24 lead early in the fourth quarter. That remained the score until the final three minutes, when the Blue Devils lined up for a go-ahead field goal that would have given the Tar Heels the ball back with more than two minutes left and a […]
Washington Spirit vs. Gotham FC, NWSL Championship: Trinity Rodman’s status hangs over title match
Two star-studded teams in the Washington Spirit and Gotham FC will meet in San Jose for the NWSL Championship, a competitive match likely in store as each side chases their second league title, but the big question looms -- will Trinity Rodman play?The pair took contrasting roads to the NWSL Championship, the No. 2 seed Spirit advancing as the favorites in their matchups while Gotham played spoiler as the No. 8 seed, eliminating the runaway NWSL Shield winners in the Kansas City Current and last year's champions Orlando Pride. To describe this as a David vs. Goliath-type game would be a misnomer, though, Gotham have been inconsistent, but they won the Championship just two years ago and boast an MVP nominee in Esther Gonzalez.While Gonzalez and new Gotham recruict Jaedyn Shaw headline Juan Carlos Amoros' team, the attention will also […]
Bills RB Ty Johnson fined $10,777 for pelvic-thrust TD celebration in win over Bucs
The NFL has fined Buffalo Bills running back Ty Johnson $10,777 for "obscene gestures" as part of a crackdown on unsportsmanlike conduct. Johnson did a thrust-heavy celebration after scoring a go-ahead touchdown in the Bills' win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 11.With less than a minute left in the first half, Johnson broke away on third-and-5 to sprint 52 yards for the touchdown. To celebrate, Johnson grabbed his leg, seemingly pretending to have sustained an injury (à la the Kansas City Current's Lo'eau LaBonta), and fell before grinding his pelvis against the ground twice.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementBuffalo went on to win the game, 44-32, behind a six-touchdown night from quarterback Josh Allen.The fine comes a couple of weeks after Carolina Panthers running back Rico Dowdle was fined $14,491 for a similar celebration. Dowdle did "two pumps" (i.e., thrusted his pelvis twice) […]
Kyle Shanahan says Brandon Aiyuk’s guarantees were voided in July: ‘It takes a lot to get a contract voided’
The news that Brandon Aiyuk has likely played his last game for the San Francisco 49ers was a surprise on Friday, but the situation has apparently been simmering for months.Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan declined to say what specifically led to a falling out between team and player — there was a report of frustrations over Aiyuk failing to participate in team meetings and other activities — while claiming the contract battle was out of his hands:"I'm not going to get into the specifics of that. There were a number of things from July that, to me, is more of the business side, dealing with lawyers and stuff, and contracts. Stuff that is really not my area of expertise."Aiyuk has spent all season on the physically unable to perform list with a knee injury, which […]
Papers: Bayern Munich watching Konate’s contract situation
The top stories and transfer rumours from Sunday's newspapers...Premier LeagueBayern Munich are watching Ibrahima Konate's contact situation closely, with Liverpool putting pressure on the French defender to make a decision on his future, according to reports - Mail on Sunday. Sunderland's Wilson Isidor is weighing up his international allegiances ahead of next year's World Cup - Sun on Sunday. ChampionshipBirmingham City want to turn their £1.2bn new home into a lair for the Lionesses - by making Sarina Wiegman's side long-term tenants - Sun on Sunday. Scottish football Oscar Cortes could be set for an unexpected return to Rangers, with Sporting Gijon reportedly considering the possibility of cutting his loan short - Sunday Mail. Kevin Muscat's decision not to become the new Rangers manager has been rewarded with another Chinese Super League title - Sunday Mail. Spreaker This content is […]
What time is the Las Vegas Grand Prix 2025? How to watch tonight’s F1 race
Tonight will be a late night for Formula 1 drivers. F1 is hitting the Las Vegas Strip Circuit for the Heineken Las Vegas Grand Prix tonight at 11 p.m. ET. While that time is on the late side for East Coast viewers. it'll give fans in Europe a chance to start their day with a race where McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri will continue their battle for first place. (You can check out all the latest standings here.)Tonight's Las Vegas Grand Prix will air on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and F1 TV Pro. Here's everything you need to know about F1 this season, including how to watch this weekend's race, along with the full 2025 F1 grand prix schedule.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementHow to watch the 2025 Heineken Las Vegas Grand Prix:Date: Saturday, Nov. 22, 2025Time: 11 p.m. ETTV channels: ESPN, ESPN DeportesStreaming: […]
Related
Bill Belichick’s UNC misses bowl eligibility after trick play by Duke
When Bill Belichick was introduced as UNC head coach 11 long months ago, he revealed, joked or lied that his first words as a child were "Beat Duke."His program fell short of that goal on Saturday, and the result is a disappointing season will officially end next weekend. The Tar Heels lost to Duke 32-25, pushing their record down to 4-7 and leaving them unable to reach bowl eligibility next week against NC State.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementIt wasn't just any loss to their biggest rivals either. At home, UNC had come back from down 24-10 to take a 25-24 lead early in the fourth quarter. That remained the score until the final three minutes, when the Blue Devils lined up for a go-ahead field goal that would have given the Tar Heels the ball back with more than two minutes left and a […]
Washington Spirit vs. Gotham FC, NWSL Championship: Trinity Rodman’s status hangs over title match
Two star-studded teams in the Washington Spirit and Gotham FC will meet in San Jose for the NWSL Championship, a competitive match likely in store as each side chases their second league title, but the big question looms -- will Trinity Rodman play?The pair took contrasting roads to the NWSL Championship, the No. 2 seed Spirit advancing as the favorites in their matchups while Gotham played spoiler as the No. 8 seed, eliminating the runaway NWSL Shield winners in the Kansas City Current and last year's champions Orlando Pride. To describe this as a David vs. Goliath-type game would be a misnomer, though, Gotham have been inconsistent, but they won the Championship just two years ago and boast an MVP nominee in Esther Gonzalez.While Gonzalez and new Gotham recruict Jaedyn Shaw headline Juan Carlos Amoros' team, the attention will also […]
Bills RB Ty Johnson fined $10,777 for pelvic-thrust TD celebration in win over Bucs
The NFL has fined Buffalo Bills running back Ty Johnson $10,777 for "obscene gestures" as part of a crackdown on unsportsmanlike conduct. Johnson did a thrust-heavy celebration after scoring a go-ahead touchdown in the Bills' win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 11.With less than a minute left in the first half, Johnson broke away on third-and-5 to sprint 52 yards for the touchdown. To celebrate, Johnson grabbed his leg, seemingly pretending to have sustained an injury (à la the Kansas City Current's Lo'eau LaBonta), and fell before grinding his pelvis against the ground twice.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementBuffalo went on to win the game, 44-32, behind a six-touchdown night from quarterback Josh Allen.The fine comes a couple of weeks after Carolina Panthers running back Rico Dowdle was fined $14,491 for a similar celebration. Dowdle did "two pumps" (i.e., thrusted his pelvis twice) […]
Kyle Shanahan says Brandon Aiyuk’s guarantees were voided in July: ‘It takes a lot to get a contract voided’
The news that Brandon Aiyuk has likely played his last game for the San Francisco 49ers was a surprise on Friday, but the situation has apparently been simmering for months.Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan declined to say what specifically led to a falling out between team and player — there was a report of frustrations over Aiyuk failing to participate in team meetings and other activities — while claiming the contract battle was out of his hands:"I'm not going to get into the specifics of that. There were a number of things from July that, to me, is more of the business side, dealing with lawyers and stuff, and contracts. Stuff that is really not my area of expertise."Aiyuk has spent all season on the physically unable to perform list with a knee injury, which […]
Papers: Bayern Munich watching Konate’s contract situation
The top stories and transfer rumours from Sunday's newspapers...Premier LeagueBayern Munich are watching Ibrahima Konate's contact situation closely, with Liverpool putting pressure on the French defender to make a decision on his future, according to reports - Mail on Sunday. Sunderland's Wilson Isidor is weighing up his international allegiances ahead of next year's World Cup - Sun on Sunday. ChampionshipBirmingham City want to turn their £1.2bn new home into a lair for the Lionesses - by making Sarina Wiegman's side long-term tenants - Sun on Sunday. Scottish football Oscar Cortes could be set for an unexpected return to Rangers, with Sporting Gijon reportedly considering the possibility of cutting his loan short - Sunday Mail. Kevin Muscat's decision not to become the new Rangers manager has been rewarded with another Chinese Super League title - Sunday Mail. Spreaker This content is […]
What time is the Las Vegas Grand Prix 2025? How to watch tonight’s F1 race
Tonight will be a late night for Formula 1 drivers. F1 is hitting the Las Vegas Strip Circuit for the Heineken Las Vegas Grand Prix tonight at 11 p.m. ET. While that time is on the late side for East Coast viewers. it'll give fans in Europe a chance to start their day with a race where McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri will continue their battle for first place. (You can check out all the latest standings here.)Tonight's Las Vegas Grand Prix will air on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and F1 TV Pro. Here's everything you need to know about F1 this season, including how to watch this weekend's race, along with the full 2025 F1 grand prix schedule.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementHow to watch the 2025 Heineken Las Vegas Grand Prix:Date: Saturday, Nov. 22, 2025Time: 11 p.m. ETTV channels: ESPN, ESPN DeportesStreaming: […]
Be the first to leave a comment