Victor Wembanyama says this summer was all about getting his body right. At Spurs media day, the 7’3” star admitted his training was “brutal” and more violent than usual, sacrificing some shooting work to focus on strength and conditioning.
“My training this summer, was brutal,” said Wembanyama, via The Athletic. “This summer, I chose to do something much more violent. Maybe that takes away from some time I can spend on shooting the basketball, but it doesn’t matter. I wanted to get my body back.”
Besides work on the court and rigorous training in the gym, Victor picked up some valuable experience on visits to China and Japan this summer. There, he was able to broaden his thinking and develop a stronger sense of identity.
“The traumatic experience (is) very much linked to all the stuff I’ve done in the summer,” Wembanyama added. “There’s also a big feeling that life isn’t forever and there are some experiences we’re going to miss (out) on. It’s inevitable. But I’m going to miss (out) on the least that I can. I want to experience the most and this is something that I wanted to do.”
At 21 years old, Wembanyama is only just beginning his NBA journey. He made a name for himself in Europe before being drafted first overall in 2023. Before he played a single game in the NBA, Victor was being compared to some all-time greats, and expectations were set high from the jump. In his first season, Victor lived up to the hype with an explosive performance, winning rookie of the year with averages of 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 3.6 blocks per game on 46.5% shooting.
Last season, his stats improved across the board and he was even voted into his first All-Star game. By all accounts, Victor and the Spurs were on the road to improvement when he was suddenly diagnosed with blood clots that sidelined him for the rest of the campaign. Besides cutting short his otherwise spectacular season, the diagnosis raised questions about Victor’s health and availability in the future.
In response to the setbacks, Victor has only worked harder. This summer, he put everything on the line to get his body prepared for the upcoming grind and even he admits it was a brutal experience. Still, the hard work and support from key figures like former Spurs coach Gregg Popovich will only serve to help Victor as he seeks to make up for lost time.
Ultimately, we’ll have to wait and see how the story ends for Wemby, but he’s got all the tools required to make a major comeback this season. At just 21 years old, Victor isn’t close to his prime and he’s only scratched the surface of his potential. If he plays his cards right, this upcoming season could be his best one yet and a glimpse into what’s to come for the rest of his career.
In the end, we’ll have to wait and see where this story goes for Wemby, but everything about him screams future superstar. At just 21, he’s nowhere near his prime and still figuring out how to handle the grind of an NBA season. He’s already shown flashes of dominance that few players in history can match, and now he’s putting in the kind of brutal work that separates good from great. If his body holds up, this could be the season where Wembanyama starts building the foundation for an all-time career.
