San Antonio Spurs Superstar Victor Wembanyama to Miss Remainder of Season

The San Antonio Spurs were just dealt a massive blow. Superstar center Victor Wembanyama will miss the remainder of the season with blood clots in his shoulder.

Breaking: Victor Wembanyama is expected to miss the remainder of the season with deep vein thrombosis in his right shoulder, the Spurs announced. pic.twitter.com/WnvCRd04qd
— ESPN (@espn) February 20, 2025

The reigning Rookie of the Year was having a massive 2024-25 campaign and things were looking up for the Spurs after acquiring De'Aaron Fox from the Sacramento Kings. However, with Wemby shut down for the remainder of the season, the Spurs can kiss their championship aspirations goodbye.

Spurs' odds to make the playoffs

Yesterday: 16%

Today: 3% pic.twitter.com/gU23OFom25
— Polymarket Sports (@PolymarketSport) February 20, 2025

Wembanyama was averaging 24.3 points, 11.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists and a league-best 3.8 blocks per game. He played 46 games this season.

Wemby this season:

— Leading NBA in blocks
— Leading NBA in stocks
— Only player with a 5x5
— First player ever with 3+ BPG and 3+ 3PM
— First 20p/10r/1s/3b season since 1996
— Youngest center with a 50-point game
— Youngest center with 30-PT triple-double

Get well soon. pic.twitter.com/etGI90uWMJ
— StatMuse (@statmuse) February 20, 2025

Fantasy Basketball Impact of Victor Wembanyama Injury

So what will Greg Popovic do in the absence of his best player? One thing is for sure, Fox is going to see his usage rate skyrocket. Without Wemby, there's a chance we see a slight downtick in assists but Fox is going to shoot the ball far more given the lack of trustworthy options he has at his disposal. In five games with the Spurs, the electric playmaker is averaging 21.6 points, 7.8 assists, and 3.6 boards in 35.8 minutes of action per game. Expect Fox to start scoring 25+ per game.

The Spurs don't have a ton of frontcourt depth behind Wemby but Jeremy Sochan will likely be a popular waiver wire pickup this week. The 6'8" forward is currently averaging 11.7 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 2.5 assists in 26.1 minutes per game. He should log 30+ minutes per game, which means more scoring opportunities. And without Wemby on the floor, Sochan should produce more rebounds and blocked shots.

Devin Vassell and Harrison Barnes should see an increase in their respective usage rates as well. Vassell isn't all that valuable in fantasy basketball since he's primarily a scorer, averaging 15.9 points per game, along with 3.5 rebounds and 2.9 assists. However, his 1.2 steals are quite valuable on the defensive end and he will get far more looks without the center piece of the offense healthy. Barnes, the veteran out of North Carolina should improve upon his 11.9 points per game.

One player who has already been on the rise in fantasy basketball (and should see yet another bump in his value) is former UConn Husky, Stephon Castle. The rookie guard who just competed in the NBA Dunk Contest has been on an absolute tear despite Fox's arrival. Many expected Castle to perhaps see a downtick in his counting stats but instead, the rookie has flourished with Fox in the backcourt, averaging 19.0 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.4 steals, and 0.8 blocks since the blockbuster deal. Now with Wemby sidelined, Castle should see even more opportunities on the offensive end. And if the Spurs begin to fall back in the standings, Pop will likely lean on the young guys including Castle. Despite not a ton of change expected in the backcourt, Castle and Fox may be the two biggest beneficiaries from a fantasy basketball perspective.

It will be interesting to see how this all shakes out but one thing is for certain: the Spurs cannot replace Wemby. It will have to be a collective effort if they want to still compete in the Western Conference. Sports bettors will also want to keep an eye on the Defensive Player of the Year odds. Wemby was an absolute lock to win the award but given the recent news, everything is up in the air.

This is a developing story. More details to follow...

Fantasy Basketball Impact of Victor Wembanyama Injury

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