Victor Wembanyama is presently in China, and his trip isn’t limited to leisure activities. The San Antonio Spurs standout is spending approximately ten days at a Shaolin temple located in Zhengzhou, China. This temple is a renowned destination not only for tourists but also for those eager to immerse themselves in Chan meditation, Shaolin Kung Fu, traditional Chinese medicine, and other cultural practices.
The NBA’s office in China has verified Wembanyama’s stay at the temple, and several Chinese media outlets have corroborated his presence there with confirmations from the establishment itself. The NBA’s official account on Weibo shared a post urging, “Concentrate on training!”, alongside announcements about his ten-day stay. However, his presence has been increasingly discussed across other social media platforms as well.
Photographs of Wembanyama have surfaced online, showing him with a shaved head—which was not the case upon his arrival in China—and dressed similarly to the other monks in a robe. One specific photo captured the towering 7-foot-4 athlete seated on a traditional Chinese chair, surrounded by several Buddha statues. It appears he engaged in some local sightseeing earlier in his visit.
In a video posted on Instagram by the Spurs’ account and others, Wembanyama expressed his enthusiasm: “Victor Wembanyama, live from China, on the Great Wall itself, having an amazing time. It’s crazy.” This suggests that, alongside his time at the temple, he has been exploring some of China’s historical landmarks.
Wembanyama is anticipated to return to the U.S. in the coming weeks. It is expected that he will join the Spurs delegation for the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas next month. Like many NBA teams, the Spurs typically include several players from their main roster in various events during the summer league.
The French prodigy, aged 21, topped the NBA in blocked shots during the regular season, although his campaign was cut short in February—following his debut All-Star Game—due to deep vein thrombosis in his right shoulder. The Spurs remain optimistic about his participation in the upcoming season, and the French national team is also hopeful that he will represent his country in this summer’s European championships.
Last season’s NBA rookie of the year, Wembanyama, was predicted to be a significant contender for this season’s defensive player of the year award. His performance included attempts of 403 three-pointers and a remarkable 176 blocked shots—unprecedented numbers in NBA history. His averages before the DVT diagnosis were impressive, with 24.3 points, 11 rebounds, 3.8 blocks, and 3.7 assists per game. The only other player to achieve similar numbers in a season was the legendary Kareem Abdul-Jabbar during the 1975-76 season.