Why Victor Wembanyama Decided to Shave His Head Bald

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While Victor Wembanyama’s dazzling play or latest remarkable athletic feat is usually the center of attention, it was the Spurs phenom’s hair (or lack thereof) that stole the show this week.
Wembanyama and Spurs forward Keldon Johnson debuted new hairstyles this week, revealing that the pair decided to shave their heads together. Johnson shared that it was Wembanyama’s idea and they shaved one another’s hair off after San Antonio’s 119-98 loss to the Thunder on Wednesday via The Athletic’s Jared Weiss.
The next day, the Spurs beat the Bucks 119-101 as Wembanyama and Johnson debuted their new hairdos, which the 7’4” superstar hopes gets the team back into its winning ways.
“I have been having this in the back of my head for a little bit,” Wembanyama said to reporters Thursday on the decision to go bald. “And the fact that [Johnson] wanted to do it as well just convinced me. I felt like we had to lock in real quick because we had been losing a little bit.”
Wemby on going bald:
— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) January 16, 2026
"I have been having this in the back of my head for a little bit and the fact that (Keldon) wanted to do it as well was just convinc me. I felt like we had to lock in real quick because we had been losing a little bit" pic.twitter.com/fP5RZXfhre
Wembanyama dropped 22 points in 22 minutes of play against Milwaukee, along with 10 rebounds, two blocks and five three-pointers. The win over the Bucks snapped a quick two-game losing streak for the Spurs as they moved to 28-13, tied with the Nuggets for second place in the Western Conference.
San Antonio has dropped six of its past 11 games as Wembanyama has worked back from multiple injuries over the past two months, most recently a knee injury that caused him to miss two games and come off the bench in the first three contests upon his return on Jan. 6. The Spurs are 3-3 since his most recent return, but maybe the baldness is just what they needed to get back on track.
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Blake Silverman is a writer at Sports Illustrated, primarily covering the NBA and WNBA. Before joining SI in November 2024 as a breaking/trending news writer, he covered the WNBA, NBA, G League and college basketball for numerous sites, including Winsidr, SB Nation and A10Talk. He’s an alum of both Michigan State and St. Bonaventure University, receiving a master’s degree from the Bonnies’ sports journalism program. Outside of work, he’s a husband, father, yogi and fairly mediocre tennis player who’s open to any tips on how to play defense in EA Sports College Football.