Victor Wembanyama is one of the NBA’s most unique players in size, skill… and spirit.
The 7-foot-3 San Antonio Spurs superstar has certainly proved the latter in recent days, by embarking on a rather unexpected offseason journey.
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Wembanyama looks unrecognisable amid an offseason Shaolin Temple retreatCredit: Getty
According to reports, Wembanyama has been taking in a 10-day Shaolin Temple retreat in Zhengzhou, China, living alongside monks.
While there, the French phenom has fully committed to their lifestyle, and has been pictured wearing traditional Shaolin robes after having his head ceremonially shaved by a temple master.
Unsurprisingly, an unrecognisable Wemby — who saw one of his jerseys sell for $73,000 at auction this year — has gone viral on social media.
An image of the 2023-24 Rookie of the Year, with a shaved head, is circulating on X, and has been viewed millions of times in less than 24 hours.
“He’s just doing side quests at this point,” one fan said of Wembanyama’s offseason retreat.
“Y’all laugh now, but Wemby gonna return with a vengeance,” another wrote.
“Finding a deeper understanding of life… This man is gonna go crazy next season,” a third predicted.
“Yeah, Wemby is coming back absolutely dialled in,” a fourth concluded.
According to one Spurs reporter on X, multiple sources have claimed Wembanyama, ranked as one of the best players in the NBA, is ‘deeply interested in Shaolin culture’.
His 10-day retreat began after he paused his travel plans and his entourage left China.
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Wembanyama, with a shaved head, looks different to what fans have seen on the courtCredit: X
While the Shaolin Temple is famous for its martial arts tradition, and their monks are devoted to continuous development and perfecting of Shaolin Kung Fu, there are other pillars of Shaolin culture.
Training is said to emphasize both physical strength and mental discipline, two traits that are no doubt important for basketball players.
Last season, Wembanyama averaged 24.3 points, 11 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game, before he was shut down by the Spurs in February when diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis in his right shoulder.
The condition was discovered when the 21-year-old returned to San Antonio following the All-Star Game in San Francisco, where he was also disqualified from the NBA Skills Challenge.
He is expected to make a full recovery, and will be looking to comeback stronger in 2025, having returned to lifting weights and on-court work in a controlled setting back in April.
While Wemby refused to delve into specifics of his recovery at the time, he did note, ‘I’m over this problem.’
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Wemby was shut down by the Spurs after returning from the All-Star gameCredit: Getty
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He is expected to return fully healthy for the 2025-26 season, which begins in OctoberCredit: Getty
“There’s many more things than surgery when you go to the hospital for a blood clot,” he said.
“We’re taking our time and I’m neither late or early (in recovery), but it’s a process and there are definitely steps for me to reach.
“At the time, I definitely didn’t know (the extent of the condition). But looking back I did feel a certain way. I wasn’t in the best shape ever at the All-Star Game. By no means was it easy to learn and process.
“I think I did and I’m still doing the best we can do, taking care of my body and trusting the incredible work of the medical staff. I’m sure it’s something I’m going to use to grow and be better.”
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Come next season a fully healthy, and perhaps spiritually enlightened Wemby, will be dangerous for the rest of the NBA.