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Victor Wembanyama shaves head in dramatic change visiting Shaolin Temple in China

The San Antonio Spurs superstar is on a retreat to the birthplace of Kung Fu, embracing the Shaolin monk culture.
Matt Ryan|
San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) looks on from the bench during the fourth quarter of the game against the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center.
San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) looks on from the bench during the fourth quarter of the game against the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center. | Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images

Victor Wembanyama is one of the most recognizable figures in the world at 7-foot-3 and with his stardom with the San Antonio Spurs.

The center would’ve been the Defensive Player of the Year but was sidelined after the All-Star break with deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in his right shoulder. He’s expected to make a full recovery

While it’s offseason, the 21-year-old NBA star is touring China where he was spotted walking around and enjoying a lot of food.

RELATED: 7-foot-3 Victor Wembanyama playing soccer in Costa Rica is insane to watch

Wembanyama also visited the Great Wall of China.

He recently just went through a dramatic hair change, but did so even more when he visited the Shaolin Temple and was amongst the monks with his head shaved.

RELATED: WNBA star Gabby Williams is tiny beside 7-foot-3 Victor Wembanyama in unreal photo

According to reports, he’s deeply interested in the Shaolin culture and is on a 10-day retreat fully embracing their way of life. He even changed his travel plans for this.

The Shaolin monks are known for practicing Buddhism with a blend of martial arts — in particular Kung Fu as it’s known as the birthplace of the art. Wembanyama learning Kung Fu could help his NBA game. It’s like when Bruce Lee fought Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in the film “Game of Death” in 1978.

Wembanyama averaged 24.3 points, 11.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 3.8 blocks per game.

The rest of the league could be in big trouble with the new-and-improved Wemby next season.

Victor Wembanyam
Chuck’s Global Stars forward Victor Wembanyama (1) of the San Antonio Spurs warms up before the 2025 NBA All Star Game at Chase Center. | Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

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Matt Ryan
MATT RYAN

Matt Ryan is a dedicated sports journalist with over 20 years of experience in digital and linear media. After receiving a Masters in Journalism from USC, he’s worked for Fox Sports, NBC Sports, Yahoo Sports, USA Today Sports Media Group, and Bally Sports, while holding various leadership roles along the way.

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