How “violent” Victor Wembanyama trained to become the NBA’s ultimate superstar

Victor Wembanyama entered the NBA with the world’s basketball community watching. A foreign phenom with otherworldly skills, he was hailed as the face of the league for the next decade and a half. He won Rookie of the Year in his debut season, with the only expectation being that he would keep growing individually. Everything seemed on track.

Then came the setbacks. In his second season, health issues interrupted the journey. San Antonio Spurs coaching legend Gregg Popovich, 76 and five-time NBA champion, faced his own challenges on the sidelines, while Wembanyama suffered a right shoulder venous thrombosis, forcing him to hit pause, catch his breath, and rebuild his body. The question now: is the third season the one where everything clicks? Expectations are high for both him and the Spurs, one of the league’s most promising rosters.

Focusing on the individual first

What sets Wembanyama apart this time is his willingness to prioritize himself. He withdrew from distractions to become the best version of himself. Since arriving from Europe, the Spurs handed him the keys to the franchise, trusting this approach.

His disconnection was real. He spent months in Texas rehabbing his shoulder clot, building a full plan for his body and mind. Wembanyama even stepped back from national team duties at EuroBasket, where France struggled without top centers. He had narrowly missed gold at the Paris Olympics against Durant, LeBron, Curry, and other superstars. There’s still the 2027 World Cup and the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles to come.

Wembanyama’s unusual off-season

Wembanyama’s preparation went beyond traditional basketball training. He started his vacation in China, where he shaved his head and immersed himself in the teachings of a Shaolin master at the Zhengzhou Temple, studying kung fu, martial arts, and Zen Buddhism. It was an experimental journey meant to develop discipline, mental strength, and self-control.

He also spent time in Japan before returning to the U.S. to focus on basketball-specific skills. He trained with three unique mentors: Kevin Garnett for mental and competitive toughness, Matt Bonner as a Spurs veteran guide, and Hakeem Olajuwon, who provides elite private sessions to NBA players. Physically, he pushed himself harder than ever. “My workouts this summer have been brutal. I decided to make everything more violent. It may have cut into my shooting practice, but I needed my body back,” he said.

Becoming a physical and mental machine

Wembanyama’s preparation has been comprehensive. He has studied cutting-edge training methods and molded his body into an elite weapon, already evident in preseason games. At just 21, he’s grown from 7 feet 4 inches (2.24 meters) in socks to an estimated 7 feet 7 inches (2.31 meters). His ambition even took him to NASA, where he spoke with Peggy Whitson, the American astronaut with the most hours in space, learning what it truly means to be “alien.”

He also visited Los Angeles to train with Noah Laroche, using a “constraints-led approach” that simulates real-game scenarios to optimize decision-making and court awareness. This level of specialization underscores the length and intensity of his summer.

Statistical projections from analyst Tom Tango, while to be taken cautiously, are staggering: 26.2 points, 12.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 4.1 steals per 36 minutes. There seems to be no ceiling for him. The Spurs are fully backing Wembanyama’s methods, and the Western Conference is already bracing for the impact.

Spurs build the ultimate support team

San Antonio has added new members to the coaching staff to complement Wembanyama’s development. Tim Martin, who worked closely with Wemby during specialized training, joins full-time after experience with Tyrese Maxey and Trae Young. Veteran Rashard Lewis, former Orlando Magic star and 2013 NBA champion with the Miami Heat, has joined as a player development consultant.

With all these tools and support, Wembanyama, who could become the first NBA player to earn $1 billion solely in contracts, is positioned to make the leap from generational talent to transcendent superstar.

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