Ever the Captain, Chris Paul Ushers in San Antonio Spurs' New Reality

AUSTIN, Texas — The San Antonio Spurs found out Thursday morning.

The intimate details of how each player learned their 21-year-old teammate Victor Wembanyama would miss the remainder of his second regular season will remain private.

"That's for us," said Chris Paul, serving as the voice of the Spurs' locker room on the baseline at Moody Center a few hours after the news broke.

He shared just enough.

Wembanyama was diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis, a form of blood clot, in his right shoulder. Prior to NBA All-Star Break, concerns regarding the center's energy levels were investigated by San Antonio's medical staff, which resulted in his season-ending diagnosis.

The Spurs are optimistic that the second-year star can, and will, make a full recovery prior to the start of the 2025-26 season. It doesn't nullify the shock value.

"It's tough more than anything," Paul said. "For all of us. Knowing how much he means to our team, but more so how much he means to the game and how much he loves to play."

Wembanyama's road ahead is far from easy, but "easy" is seldom a concern. Paul, now 39, addressed that, too, putting himself back in the shoes of an NBA sophomore.

"Vic is 21," Paul said. "For me, at that age, you can't imagine not playing and missing a game. I think he'll attack recovery as well as you possibly can."

Jan 3, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Chris Paul (3) with center Victor Wembanyama (1) in the third quarter against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena. | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Prior to his diagnosis, Wembanyama was working on a sophomore year campaign much stronger than his rookie season. In 46 appearances, the 7-foot-4 star averaged 24.3 points, 11 rebounds and a league-leading 3.8 blocks per game on 47 percent shooting from the field.

Now out for the year, he'll fall short of the league-mandated 65-game threshold to qualify for any end-of-season awards. But his impact goes far beyond the qualitative.

"You don't get around too many people like that, period," Spurs point guard De'Aaron Fox said. "Especially not at that age ... it definitely speaks a lot about his character."

Added Paul: "He's one of the best humans I've ever met in this league."

Thursday's shootaround, all things considered, felt wonted. Jeremy Sochan, Julian Champagnie and Keldon Johnson competed in a 3-point drill while Devin Vassell worked from mid range. Across the court, Mitch Johnson took it all in and watched.

As Paul preached several times, they still had a job to do.

"A lot of us are together more than we're with our own families," he said. "We've become a family. You keep things in perspective as far as life (goes) ... but when the game comes around, we've got a job to do. That's a time for us to get everything off our mind, actually."

When the game's final buzzer sounds, the haven San Antonio finds on the court won't be there any longer. That's when coping gets harder; listening will grow more important.

Paul knows the 7-foot gap Wembanyama leaves behind isn't easily filled.

"Trust me, you can't replace Vic," the point guard said lightheartedly. "I can't stand on a guy's shoulders and block every shot that comes to the rim."

He also can't pick up a clipboard and coach in Gregg Popovich's absence — the Hall-of-Fame coach is the second piece San Antonio has dearly missed since he suffered a mild stroke on Nov. 2, five games into the regular season — even if he wanted to.

"It is wild to think of the circumstances and situations we've been through as a team this year," Paul said. "Everybody understands that basketball is what we do, not who we are. Life is so much more important, but ... we know losing a big part of our team is by committee."

Dec 8, 2024; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) and San Antonio Spurs guard Chris Paul (3) in the first half against the New Orleans Pelicans at Frost Bank Center. | Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images

So, the Spurs will stick together. Their committee, now with more to play for than before, will take the court against Kevin Durant and the Phoenix Suns in Austin Thursday night.

Afterward, they'll continue their Rodeo Road Trip hoping to make the postseason push they still feel capable of. A new reality now befalls the Spurs, but their mission is the same.

Ever the captain, Paul is the one leading that charge.

"That’s the plan,” Paul said, asked about making the Western Conference Playoffs. “That didn’t change. I know Vic. I know Pop. They wouldn't have it any other way."

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