De'Aaron Fox Reveals The Impact Of Victor Wembanyama After Season Ending Injury

The San Antonio Spurs have been in a different state of mind since their star big man, Victor Wembanyama, was ruled out this season due to blood clots. Still, Victor continues to be around the team and make his impact felt however he can.

“He wants to be around. He wants to still support his teammates, obviously, doing the limited things that he's able to do,” Fox said. “When you have someone who's like that – everyone calls him a generational talent, what he's really able to do on the court – being able to be around him to see the type of person that he is and that he truly wants everybody around him to succeed. He’s just a blessing to be around and a great energy to be around."

Victor, 21, was having the best season of his career with averages of 24.3 points, 11.0 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game on 47.6% shooting. The Spurs were one of the NBA's most improved teams this year, but Victor was ruled out for the rest of the 2024-25 campaign after just 46 games.

“We talk to him a lot, after most games," said Fox. "He's still super connected with the team. He's not isolating himself from the guys. I know he wants to be out there, but making himself feel like he's still part of the team."

Since the end of the Tim Duncan era, it's been rough for the Spurs but Victor Wembanyama has given them hope for a brighter future. The 21-year-old center from France has been compared to a young LeBron James and he's on track for a historic career.

In response to his arrival, the Spurs have scrambled to surround him with talent, which is where De'Aaron Fox comes into play. 

De'Aaron Fox joined the Spurs at the trade deadline in a blockbuster trade with the Sacramento Kings. The young point guard has a limited history of success but his skills and playoff experience should make him a perfect fit next to Wemby.

Even without his co-star, Fox has played well for the Spurs with averages of 19.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 6.6 assists per game on 42.8% shooting. De'Aaron has been a solid leader in 12 games with the club, but it hasn't been enough to save them from a bottom-five standing this season.

After losing Gregg Popovich to a stroke and then Victor Wembanyama to deep vein thrombosis, the Spurs are missing several core pieces of their team, and this season may already be a lost cause for the organization.

After the 14-point loss to the Thunder on Sunday, the Spurs are 13th in the West at 25-34. It's an improvement from their record last year but not quite where they hoped to be to end this campaign.

The good news is that Victor is in good spirits and he's staying close to his teammates. Despite not suiting up again until October, Victor is involved in everything and he's doing his part to help the team in any way that he can. 

In return, Victor can continue building up his relationship and chemistry with teammates so that when he finally does return, he'll be in a position to have his best season yet.