Victor Wembanyama Injury's Impact on Blazers' 2025 Draft

All-Star San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama, the easy favorite to win Defensive Player of the Year honors this season and likely an All-NBA honoree, is sadly done for the season after incurring an ominous new ailment during All-Star Weekend.

More Portland Trail Blazers: Portland Given Surprising Landing Spot on NBA Franchise Valuation List

Per Marc Stein of The Stein Line, San Antonio announced that the 7-foot-3 All-Defensive Team big man has been ruled out for the rest of 2024-25 with a blood clot in his shoulder.

The Spurs announce that a shoulder condition — specifically deep vein thrombosis — will sideline Victor Wembanyama for the remainder of the season. pic.twitter.com/dEodOnAqWu
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) February 20, 2025

"The San Antonio Spurs today announced that Victor Wembanyama has been diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis in his right shoulder," the Spurs wrote. "The condition was discovered when Wembanyama returned to San Antonio following the All-Star Game in San Francisco. Wembanyama is expected to miss the remainder of the 2024-25 regular season. The team will provide updates as appropriate."

More Portland Trail Blazers: Can Trail Blazers Still Make Late Playoff Push Following All-Star Break?

As CBS Sports' Sam Quinn observes, this injury could potentially end Wembanyama's career.

"This is a medical condition that has ended careers ... but there are cases in recent NBA history of players having an isolated incident just like this who came back just fine."

NBA writer @SamQuinnCBS after the Spurs announced Victor Wembanyama is expected to miss the season… pic.twitter.com/Jvdxtl4pWz
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) February 20, 2025

"This is a medical condition that has ended careers ... but there are cases in recent NBA history of players having an isolated incident just like this who came back just fine," Quinn said recently.

11-time All-Star Miami Heat and Toronto Raptors power forward/center Chris Bosh saw his Hall of Fame career cut short at age 33, after he suffered a string of blood clots. That said, All-Star Raptors combo forward Brandon Ingram and two-way Los Angeles Lakers center Christian Koloko both also have dealt with blood clots, but wound up eventually being cleared to return to the hardwood and continue their careers.

Weirdly enough, the Portland Trail Blazers could suffer from Wembanyama's ailment in the short-term.

At 23-32, the team is currently out of Western Conference play-in tournament range, five games behind the 28-27 Golden State Warriors and Sacramento Kings. Portland is the No. 13 seed in the West — just 1.5 games worse than the 23-29 Spurs, the conference's No. 12 seed.

Losing by far their best player means that the Spurs will pivot fully into tank mode ahead of what looks to be loaded 2025 NBA Draft. The Spurs could fall behind the Trail Blazers, who have looked downright competent lately, and secure better lottery odds to earn a top pick.

More Portland Trail Blazers:

Should Portland Give Head Coach Chauncey Billups a New Contract Extension?

Trail Blazers Called Out for 'Bonkers' Decision to Make Zero Deadline Trades

Trail Blazers Sign New Guard Following Inactive Trade Deadline

For the latest Portland Trail Blazers news and notes, stay glued to Portland Trail Blazers On SI.