SAN ANTONIO – Former NBA champion Chris Bosh and San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama share more than just their extraordinary basketball talent; they both have faced life-altering health diagnoses that have shaped their careers and personal lives.
In an interview with HoopsHype published recently, Bosh recounted a harrowing experience that nearly cost him his life. The 11-time All-Star, who made a significant impact on the Miami Heat—defeating and losing to the Spurs in back-to-back NBA Finals—revealed that he spent a week in the hospital due to a severe health scare.
“I almost dropped dead pretty much and came back to life,” Bosh stated candidly. “I’m not joking.” His frightening episode was attributed to a pulmonary embolism, a condition described by the Mayo Clinic as “a blood clot that blocks and stops blood flow to an artery in the lung.”
Bosh’s struggles with blood clots led to his retirement from basketball in 2019, after he had played his final NBA game in 2016. He reflected on the ongoing nature of his condition, saying, “Yeah, you got to deal with it for the rest of your life. I thought I was past it. I am not. So, you know, it’s just making sure I stay on top of my regimen.”
Bosh’s experience with blood clots bears a striking resemblance to that of Wembanyama, who was diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in February 2025. This condition arises when a blood clot forms in deep veins, potentially leading to serious complications. Wembanyama’s diagnosis ultimately sidelined him for the remainder of the 2024-25 season.
In light of their shared health challenges, Bosh offered Wembanyama some straightforward advice: “Take your medicine.” He emphasized the importance of adhering to a treatment regimen to prevent future incidents, stating, “It only takes one more time. It happened one more time for me. It happened twice, and I couldn’t play anymore.”
Bosh continued, “So, I guess with him, just making sure he does everything necessary to keep that blood as thin as possible and take care of that body off the court.” His words resonate as a reminder of the critical intersection between health and athletic performance, underscoring the need for vigilance and self-care among professional athletes.
