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Chris Bosh Warns Spurs' Victor Wembanyama on Medical Danger
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- Chris Bosh Warns Spurs' Victor Wembanyama on Medical Danger
Chris Bosh was asked what he would tell Victor Wembanyama about living with blood clots, in a clip posted by HoopsHype .
"Take your medicine ... because it only takes one more time. It happened one more time for me. It happened twice, and I couldn't play anymore."
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Bosh was hospitalized in February 2015 after a clot traveled from his leg to his lung, and his season ended after 44 games. He came back the following year and made the All-Star team. On Feb. 11, 2016, after he arrived in Toronto , doctors found a clot in his calf. That season ended after 53 games. Bosh failed a physical with the Miami Heat in September 2016 and did not play thereafter. The NBA declared his condition career-ending in 2017. He announced his retirement in 2019 and has since been inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
During his 13 seasons with the Toronto Raptors and the Heat, Bosh averaged 19.2 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks, with a shooting percentage of 49.4%. He was selected for 11 All-Star teams and secured two championships.
Now 42, Bosh went through another medical episode at the start of this year. He described it on Instagram in February, saying it began with a numbing sensation down his left leg, and that he blacked out and woke up in a pool of his own blood.
Bosh was asked about his health in a Front Office Sports interview published July 22.
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"Yeah, you know, the health is good. I got off to a bit of a rough start for 2026 back in January, but I take my medicine. I make sure I've seen more doctors than I've seen in my whole lifetime of being an athlete. I'm making sure I'm taking the precautions, and that's going well."
Bosh played in a USA Basketball and RX3 charity three-on-three tournament in Orange County on Aug. 1.
Wembanyama was diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis in his right shoulder on Feb. 20, 2025. The Spurs discovered his injury upon his return to San Antonio after All-Star Weekend in San Francisco. He had played in 46 games before undergoing surgery in March. In July, he informed L'Équipe's Maxime Aubin that the medical team in San Antonio had cleared him, four months after the diagnosis.
Last season, over 64 games, Wembanyama averaged 25.0 points, 11.5 rebounds, and 3.1 assists in 29.2 minutes. He led the league with 3.1 blocks. His shooting percentages were 51.2% from the field, 34.9% from three, and 82.7% from the free throw line. Voters recognized him as the youngest Defensive Player of the Year in league history and the first unanimous winner since the award's inception in 1982-83. He also made the All-NBA first team and ranked third in MVP voting. Additionally, Wembanyama was named MVP of the Western Conference finals.
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San Antonio finished 62-20. The Spurs beat Portland in the first round, eliminated Oklahoma City , and reached the franchise's first Finals since 2014. New York won the series in five games. Wembanyama had 19 points, 14 rebounds, and 5 blocks in the 94-90 Game 5 loss on June 13.
On July 10, Wembanyama signed a five-year, $252 million extension with a player option in the fifth season. He took the 25% maximum rather than the 30% supermax, which could have reached $303 million. It is the third-largest rookie extension in league history .
Blood clots have been a recurring issue across the league. In March 2025, Damian Lillard was diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis in his calf. Brandon Ingram had a clot removed from his right arm in 2019. Ausar Thompson missed nearly eight months starting in March of his rookie season.
Wembanyama will be 23 years old in January. San Antonio is set to bring back its starting lineup next season, including Wembanyama, De'Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle , Devin Vassell , and Julian Champagnie .
