Victor Wembanyama’s NBA takeover is imminent, but the San Antonio Spurs star has been out of the limelight for the last few months to recover from a blood clot in his right shoulder. The Frenchman has kept himself busy, though, as he recently embraced Shaolin monk culture at a 10-day retreat to China. Wemby’s spiritual journey didn’t lead to a conversion to Buddhism, but it did result in one major change — his hairstyle.
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Wemby shaved his head down to his scalp and wore monk robes during his retreat, convincing some that the 23-year-old has become a monk himself. While that isn’t the case, a photo of a bald Wemby has made waves across social media and has even grabbed the attention of other NBA players, including Draymond Green.
The Warriors forward took a moment to discuss Wemby’s new look on The Draymond Green Show, where he too believed the Spurs center had actually undergone a religious conversion. Green recalled seeing a meme stating that it was “over” for the rest of the league now that Wemby is bald. But he was also careful to be respectful if Wemby had indeed made a big change in his life.
“Much respect to anybody who’s following their religion, who’s following their beliefs, whatever it is that they believe,” Green said. “I didn’t know, I was a little surprised by the photo op. But I guess in 2025, you can’t be surprised by any photo op.” When the four-time champion first saw the photo, though, his mind gravitated toward Wembanyama’s health.
“When I saw it, the first thing I thought was like, ‘Is he in San Antonio? I hope he’s doing well,'” Green continued. “Obviously, we remember he left with a blood clot. So, I’ve been keeping my fingers crossed and sending up my prayers to the big man, just, you know, for everybody to be healthy. So I hope that means he’s healthy.”
Green was respectful of Wemby’s spiritual journey, but many users on X didn’t have the same discretion. Several users fired off hilarious reactions to the rising star’s new cut. Others discussed the implications bald Wemby will have on the rest of the association.
“Wemby gonna block way more shots next season using his newly acquired airbender skill set,” one user tweeted, comparing Wemby to Aang from Avatar: The Last Airbender.
“Wemby getting ready for Draymond Green in case Draymond throws hand on him so he’s ready,” another user called out the hotheaded Golden State forward.
“He’s just doing side quests at this point,” a third said, referring to Wemby’s unique expedition to the Shaolin Temple.
Still one of the youngest players in the league, Victor Wembanyama is taking advantage of his newfound fortune by tackling new experiences. As Green said, though, if Wemby is feeling good enough to trek across the world, hopefully good health has returned.
