Victor Wembanyama spent the offseason training with NBA legend Hakeem Olajuwon, adding 'The Dream’s' defensive genius and footwork to his arsenal.
This offseason, Victor Wembanyama has been spotted in unusual places: shaving his head at a monastery, standing before a portrait of Mao Zedong, and soaking in wisdom from Kevin Garnett.
Victor Wembanyama
Victor Wembanyama
Position: C
Age: 21
Height: 224 cm
Weight: 104 kg
Birth place: France
But the photo that set NBA fans buzzing was one with another all-time great: Hakeem Olajuwon - the gold standard of skill and footwork in the paint, a two-time champion and one of the most complete defenders in league history.
Over the years, he’s worked with Kobe Bryant, LeBron James — and now Wembanyama, who already has the length and instincts to dominate defensively, leading the NBA in blocks (3.8 per game) this season despite missing nearly half of San Antonio’s schedule.
Per OptaSTATS, he became the first player in NBA history to lead one of the five major statistical categories (PTS, REB, AST, STL, BLK) while playing in less than 75% of his team’s games. And yet, Olajuwon believes Wemby still has another level.
Speaking to KPRC 2 Houston’s Ari Alexander, 'The Dream' shared his first impressions:
“He’s very approachable. Very humble, so I was very, very impressed the way he carried himself. We was just talking about his blood clot. Now, he’s ready. It was a very nice interaction.”
For Wembanyama, who finished his second NBA season with averages of 24.3 points, 11 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.1 steals and 3.8 blocks in just 46 games, working with Olajuwon is about filling in the last gaps of his arsenal: back-to-the-basket play, refined footwork, and more defensive nuance.
If the 21-year-old San Antonio Spurs star adds even part of Olajuwon’s mastery to his already futuristic skill set — his huge frame and wingspan, the guard-like handle — the league might be looking at its next unstoppable era.
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