Victor Wembanyama credits Shaolin monk training for sharpening his NBA game
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The Spurs superstar told ESPN’s Malika Andrews how meditation, kung fu training, and guidance from Hakeem Olajuwon helped reshape his mindset after a frightening blood clot diagnosis.
For those who haven’t tuned in to the 2026 NBA Playoffs, Victor Wembanyama put on an impressive performance in the San Antonio Spurs opener against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday night, scoring an impressive 41 points, 24 rebounds, three assists, and three blocks. The showing comes as Wemby lore is at an all-time high, thanks to new details surrounding his summer travels, which included spending time in China for some very special training.
In an interview with ESPN’s Malika Andrews, the 21-year-old phenom opened up about the deeply personal offseason that followed one of the scariest moments of his young career: being diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis, a blood clot in his right shoulder, just 15 months ago. For a player who has spent most of his life being viewed as basketball’s future, the diagnosis forced him to re-evaluate things.
“I needed time to find myself again,” he explained.
Apparently, finding himself led straight to a Shaolin temple.
Wemby truly is one of one 👽@ramonashelburne details how 34 generations of ancient warrior training helped build Wemby this offseason: https://t.co/y46rZuJGWm
(📸: @wemby) pic.twitter.com/VO5UFE24q0
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) May 20, 2026
Wembanyama told Andrews that he traveled to China during the offseason and spent two weeks training with Shaolin monks after becoming captivated by a kung fu demonstration at the temple.
“Thirty seconds in, we were convinced,” he said of watching the monks perform. “All the doubts we might have had before, long gone.”
The Spurs star fully committed to the experience. He shaved his head, woke up at 4 a.m. daily, and immersed himself in meditation, kung fu and the physical discipline of monastery life.
“It was serious practice and a total dive into the culture and the traditions,” he said.
Wemby’s Shaolin trainer Master Yan’an detailed the rigorous training in an interview with ESPN,.
Beginning at 4:30 am, the NBA player would run through the forests near the monastery or on an uneven 200-meter hillside track. The workout included frog jumps, sprints, and one-legged hops uphill and downhill to build balance and stamina. In addition to learning Shaolin Fist Form, one of the two basic forms of kung fu, Wembanyana also meditated several times a day with 100 other monks—a feat that sometimes required the 7-foot-4 baller to sit cross-legged for 90 excruciating minutes.
“Power comes from inside,” Master Yan’an said. “I would look at him and say: You are not a cat; you are a tiger. For power to come out, you have to change the inside first.”
Victor Wembanyama desperately wanted to learn to do a backflip with the monks at the Shaolin temple.
At 7-foot-5, that didn’t happen. But what unfolded was the most formative summers of his short career that has fueled this postseason run. My exclusive conversation w/ Wemby: pic.twitter.com/Oe2EEkQtK7
— Malika Andrews (@malika_andrews) May 18, 2026
While the visual of the NBA’s tallest young superstar practicing kung fu sounds like something straight out of an anime training arc, Wembanyama said the retreat had a very real impact on his body.
“My biggest takeaway was some things I did over there overloaded certain muscles in my body that were not used to this kind of effort,” he explained. “I think it made them stronger. I think it made them more resilient.”
After leaving China, Wembanyama returned to the United States and connected with Hakeem Olajuwon, who worked with the young star on footwork, positioning, and the mental approach needed to lead a championship team.
“Rarely in my life have I learned so much in just a few days,” Wembanyama said.
The biggest lesson Olajuwon gave him?
“That you don’t need to wait to win,” he recalled. “If you’re that good, you’re going to make your team win regardless.”
That message appears to have landed.
This season, Wembanyama has elevated the Spurs from rebuilding curiosity to legitimate contenders while continuing to evolve into one of the league’s most dominant two-way players. But what makes Wemby especially fascinating is that his pursuit of greatness doesn’t seem confined to basketball.