“Like You’re Carrying a Bag of Rocks”: Victor Wembanyama Outlines the Struggles of Being 7’3

At 7 ft. 3”, San Antonio Spurs Center Victor Wembanyama knows how to use his size to affect basketball games on both ends of the floor. The two-way French phenom is among the tallest players in the league and his size stands out even among other NBA giants. But have you ever wondered what it is like to play in the NBA with such a huge body?

While Wemby’s height and reach are a blessing on the basketball floor, carrying such a frame in training can be a draining affair.

In an interview with the French magazine TF1’s Sept à Huit show, the 7’3” athlete briefly touched upon the struggles that accompany his size. Wembanyama likened training with his lengthy body to carrying a bag of rocks at all times.

Therefore, the star athlete has to push himself beyond limits during every NBA game.

Here is the translation of what he said on the matter, “It’s hard. Sometimes it feels like you’re carrying a bag of rocks on your back. When I run 40 minutes for example, all of my body is telling me to stop and take a rest.”

Victor Wembanyama on the struggles being 7’3:

“It’s hard. Sometimes it feels like you’re carrying a bag of rocks on your back. When I run 40 minutes for example, all of my body is telling me to stop and take a rest”

Full interview in French on @7a8. https://t.co/AWcOwAm912…

— Maxime Aubin (@MaximeAubin1) June 17, 2024

While the highlights of his unprecedented maneuvers at his size have captivated the basketball audience, there are also repercussions of playing so smoothly at the highest level. For players of his frame, it often opens the floodgates for injuries like hip fractures and lingering lower back pain.

So while people may see Wemby as the ultimate cheat code to NBA basketball, the 20-year-old will need to go through a lot of pain to sustain a great career in the league. He will also need extra preparations to avoid any injuries that can derail his career. 

Victor Wembanyama took extensive rest to prepare for Spurs training camps

During the 2023 Summer League, Wemby played in just two games as the Spurs management thought it’d be unwise to exhaust him with inconsequential games After they shut him down, the rookie decided to go on a long hiatus. 

On Spurs media day during their training camp, Wembanyama expressed,

“After summer league, I did get away from pretty much everything for some time, for a couple weeks. That restored me totally. I often like to think the best players are the ones who work the hardest, but you also need to know how to rest the hardest. And I rested hard as hell for a couple weeks.”

This is not surprising considering that 7+ feet players suffer the most career-threatening injuries in the NBA. However, that didn’t stop the French sensation from playing in 71 out of the 82 possible games in the 2023-24 season, which helped him nab the 2024 Rookie of the Year honor.