Wembanyama shaves his head and vanishes

With the NBA season behind him, Victor Wembanyama has launched into a summer break with a dramatic shift in focus. The Spurs center traveled to China, where he toured the Great Wall before heading east to the Zhengzhou Temple – a renowned Shaolin monastery steeped in Zen Buddhism and martial arts, particularly kung fu.

Wembanyama going zen

Intent on experiencing these traditions firsthand, the French player appeared in photos posted on X with his head freshly shaved by a Shaolin master – marking the beginning of a ten-day spiritual retreat inside the temple. There, he’ll live among monks known for their mental discipline, physical strength and strict self-control.

Wembanyama’s season ended earlier than expected due to a diagnosis of deep vein thrombosis in his right shoulder. His sophomore campaign with the Spurs was cut to just 46 games, but he still averaged 24.3 points (35.2% from three), 11 rebounds, and 3.8 blocks per game.

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