Former Raptor Chris Bosh Sends Encouraging Message To Victor Wembanyama

This past season, San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama had himself a playoff run to remember, as his team fell just short of an NBA title. However, most may forget that it would not have been possible had he not been healthy in the way he was the year prior.

Wembanyama’s second season, the prior year, was cut short due to blood clot injuries. He had played 46 games in the 2024-25 season and the team announced he had a diagnosis of deep vein thrombosis, a form of a blood clot.

Former Toronto Raptor Chris Bosh, who had his career end earlier than he had hoped due to blood clots, extended some advice to the 22-year-old phenom.

"Take your medicine. Make sure that he's staying on top of his regimen to make sure that doesn't happen again because it only takes one more time,” Bosh said. “It happened one more time for me, it happened twice, and I couldn't play anymore."

Bosh made it known to Wembanyama that he should not take his return to the court for granted and should be on top of his health to ensure he stays on the court. Prior to the Spurs’ run to the NBA Finals, Wembanyama had been cleared to play in July 2025, just months after the initial diagnosis.

The former Raptor and Miami Heat player also revealed that he had a near-death scare earlier this year. A blood clotting emergency had almost killed him.

“I had an episode in January. I almost dropped dead pretty much and came back to life. I'm not joking,” Bosh told HoopsHype. "I had another pulmonary embolism. It was in January. Yeah, yeah, this past year. I was in the hospital for a week.”

Bosh first dealt with the blood clot in February 2015. A blood clot had formed in a leg and traveled to one of his lungs, which led to him being hospitalized for multiple days. 

The following season, Bosh played 53 games in what turned out to be the final season of his 13-year career. Bosh played his last game at 31, but officially announced his retirement when he was 35 in 2019.

Today, Wembanyama works closely with a team of trainers, doctors and therapists that assist him closely with the diagnosis, per ESPN. Bosh’s advice is integral to hear from one NBA All-Star to another, as the diagnosis is a heavy one for anybody, especially at Wembanyama’s young age.