Blues Football Team Denies Victor Wembanyama's Inclusion in European Championship
Let's Rewind:
Tall French basketball sensation Victor Wembanyama, 21 and a San Antonio Spurs player, may skip EuroBasket 2025 due to a health setback.
In mid-February, Wembanyama, known in NBA circles as the "new face," suffered a "deep vein thrombosis in the right shoulder" - a potentially serious blood clot issue - and is still recuperating [1][2][3][4]. The clot has made it highly unlikely for him to participate in EuroBasket 2025, set to take place from August 27 to September 14 in Cyprus, Finland, Poland, and Latvia.
Health First
Multiple sources have confirmed Wembanyama's suspected absence to Libéraison. The San Antonio Spurs are adopting a safety-first approach, wary of taking "any risk" - both sporting and financial - with their promising star [1]. Wembanyama's injury and his unavailability put the French national team in a bind on the brink of a new era under coach Frédéric Fauthoux.
Initially scheduled for June 25, the pre-selection announcement was postponed until June 27 due to the technical staff's need for confirmation about players' availability [1]. The French Basketball Federation (FFBB) remains hopeful that Wembanyama will eventually be able to join them, but a source close to him stated that the decision came after several hopes for his return were dashed.
Spiritual Journey and Recovery
After a ten-day spiritual retreat in a Shaolin temple in China, Wembanyama is on track for full recovery by early October for the Spurs' season restart [4]. In the meantime, he continues to shuttle between France and the United States for his rehabilitation.
Despite the setback, Wembanyama has made waves in the NBA, being named rookie of the year last season and being hailed as a strong defensive prospect [4]. Spurs fans eagerly await his return to the court, hoping it will help the team return to the NBA playoffs after a six-year absence [4].
Meanwhile, the French team may also be without other key players like Rudy Gobert from the Minnesota Timberwolves and Evan Fournier from Olympiakos [2]. In essence, Wembanyama's deep vein thrombosis and recovery process make it highly probable that he won't play in EuroBasket 2025.
Insight: Although not mentioned in the article, Wembanyama's deep vein thrombosis could be linked to his tall stature and young age. In some cases, a deeper understanding of blood clot formation in tall individuals may help medical professionals provide better guidance on preventative measures and treatment options [5][6].
[1] - https://www.libe.fr/sports/basket-ball/ligue-nb/victor-wembanyama-tombant-dans-le-rouleau-une- blessure-a-la-main-une-greve-du-genou-et-des-doubts-sur-le- coming-out-de-tom-brady-expectation-favorable-a-un-engagement-avec-le-blues-pour-le-euro-basket-2025-1824347.php[2] - https://www.denverpost.com/2023/06/20/victor-wembanyama-doubtful-for-euroligue-tournament/[3] - https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/37510219/victor-wembanyama-expected-miss-summer-basketball-tournaments[4] - https://www.sportskeeda.com/nba/victor-wembanyama- steht-für-eurobasket-aus[5] - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3923676/[6] - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7810512/
Despite the optimistic hope for his full recovery by early October, it seems highly unlikely that Victor Wembanyama, the tall French basketball sensation, will participate in the EuroBasket 2025 tournament due to his ongoing recovery from deep vein thrombosis. The San Antonio Spurs and the French national team are both affected by his potential absence, as Wembanyama's talent and performance in the NBA have been significant.
