Victor Wembanyama, the 21-year-old French NBA star, is currently spending 10 days at the Shaolin Temple in Zhengzhou, China, where he is focused on "closed-door martial arts training" and deepening his spiritual journey, according to Marca. At the temple, Wembanyama was seen running with the monks, fully immersed in their training, and wearing their characteristic clothing. He even shaved his head to blend in, an act that has captured attention in China.

Photos of Wembanyama with a shaved head and donning monk robes went viral on Chinese social media platforms, particularly Weibo. A widely circulated photo shows him sitting in front of multiple Buddha sculptures, an image already being described as iconic. His presence at the temple was initially confirmed by the NBA's office in China and reported by local media.

His towering height of 2.24 meters impressed locals and tourists alike, with some describing him as the tallest monk in history. Since Yao Ming triumphed in the NBA with the Houston Rockets, no other giant has generated as much excitement in China.

Earlier in his trip, Wembanyama visited the Great Wall of China, and the video went viral, with the San Antonio Spurs capturing him smiling and excited in a video posted on Instagram. The Spurs commented, "Live from China, Victor is having fun!" on their Instagram post featuring Wembanyama, who kept his trip relatively low-key on his own social media.

After this rejuvenating experience, Wembanyama is expected to return to the USA in the coming weeks and will likely participate with the Spurs' squad in the Summer League in Las Vegas next month, according to Marca. The Summer League is a series of events and games preparing for the regular season that will begin in October.

@franceinfo Crâne rasé, tenue traditionnelle Shaolin : Wemby fait une pause dans le temple Shaolin de Zhengzhou, dans l'est de la Chine. Victor Wembanyama a entamé le 8 juin, selon la presse locale, une retraite spirituelle de 10 jours. Blessé depuis février, le basketteur français doit retrouver les parquets en septembre. #wemby #wembanyama #NBA #nba #basket #shaolin #chine #sinformersurtiktok ♬ son original - Franceinfo

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The San Antonio Spurs are hopeful that Wembanyama will be able to play when the next season begins. He underwent surgery in March for deep vein thrombosis in his right shoulder, which interrupted his participation shortly after his debut in the NBA All-Star Game. Despite leading the league in blocked shots, his season ended early due to this condition.

Before the detection of the thrombosis, Wembanyama averaged 24.3 points, 11 rebounds, 3.8 blocks, and 3.7 assists, while attempting 403 three-pointers. He blocked 176 shots this season. This combination of statistics is unprecedented in NBA history. No player has ever finished a season with the combined numbers of 403 three-pointers attempted and 176 shots blocked.

The only other player in NBA history to average similar figures in a season was Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in the 1975-76 season, Marca noted. Wembanyama was widely expected to be a front-runner for the Defensive Player of the Year award. During the season, he was named Rookie of the Year. He captivated fans with his performance and led the league in blocked shots.

The French national team coach, Vincent Collet, hopes to have Wembanyama available for EuroBasket, which runs from August 27 to September 14, provided he fully overcomes the thrombosis problem in his right shoulder that prematurely interrupted his season.

Wembanyama's journey to the Shaolin Temple is notable not only for his personal development but also for the attention it has garnered in China. His dedication to immersing himself in temple life, including participating in Chan meditation, learning about Shaolin kung fu, and exploring traditional Chinese medicine, demonstrates his commitment to personal growth. Wembanyama is taking this experience seriously and may immerse himself in kung fu training in the coming days to further strengthen his body.

This type of retreat has been done before by other athletes, including Shaquille O'Neal in 2009, as reported by Record. A social media post on the NBA's Weibo account read, "Concentrate on training!" and mentioned Wembanyama's plans for his 10-day stay, which includes deepening his spiritual journey.

Wembanyama, the 2.24-meter tall star of the San Antonio Spurs, was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NBA draft and entered the NBA as arguably the greatest basketball prospect since LeBron James in 2003. His unique combination of size, skill, and agility has set high expectations for his future performance.