As the NBA season comes closer, Victor Wembanyama, the first overall draft pick, is making headlines with a 20 lbs weight transformation. The French basketball talent’s recent weight increase revealed a jump from 210lbs (95kg) to 230lbs (104kg).
Wembanyama’s arrival at the Spurs training camp was filled with great excitement, there were a whopping 13,000 fans who attended their practice session last Saturday. His weight gain news has sparked a lot of hilarious reactions from the basketball community.
Must be the churros
— rennaT (@rennaTcMrennaT) October 9, 2023
Some fans on social media jokingly related his weight gain to local snacks and meals, stating, “Must be the churros” and “Gotta be that BBQ.” While one fan directly suggested, “Steroids.”
Gotta be that BBQ
— AI Storytelling (@AIStoryHub) October 9, 2023
Seeing Wembanyama’s towering height of 7 feet 3.5 inches, many in the basketball community believe that if he wants to maximize his NBA potential, he needs to build more muscle. Especially considering that the 19-year-old often appeared slightly vulnerable against the bulkier opponents even during his Summer League debut.
Victor Wembanyama focuses more on strength than adding weight
However, Wembanyama’s agent, Bouna Ndiaye, shared a different perspective. Speaking to Marc J. Spears of Andcape, Ndiaye stated, “People are wrong. We’re not focused at all on weights. I don’t want to put weight on his body. We’re going to fight to not put weight on his body, weight on his body [is] a big mistake. We focus on strength, core.”
Wembanyama’s agent takes inspiration from basketball legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who maintained a more lean physique throughout his career. Abdul-Jabbar, who played till the age of 41 was 7 feet 2 inches tall and weighed 225 pounds but was never considered muscular during his tenure.
Drawing similarity with Kareem, Ndiaye said, “Kareem was not heavy. Victor is more mobile, gaudier and taller than Kareem. So, that difference in height is a challenge and is something that we are working on every day. Making him heavy? We don’t want to do that.”
This Victor Wembanyama steal is INSANE lmao pic.twitter.com/RbTJv482Rp
— Alex 👋 (@Dubs408) October 10, 2023
The focus is more on strength over weight, making careful long-term planning. The objective is to ensure Wembanyama’s longevity in the game, similar to Abdul-Jabbar. Adding excess muscle could potentially put excess stress on his frame, which may lead to injuries in the long run.
While fans and analysts may have different opinions on Wembanyama’s physical transformation, the goal remains to develop him into a player who has agility, strength, and skill. The upcoming NBA season will surely be a challenge for Wembanyama and how these strategies work out on the court.