The internet lit up after Victor Wembanyama’s recent media day vow that his summer work was on another level. He says he is stronger. He says the scale moved from 230 to 240. The video clips from training only added fuel. A fan said, “Please stay healthy. Please stay healthy. Please stay healthy.” That is the split right now. The promise of a 7 foot 4 unicorn in peak shape, and the reality that added mass can stress a body that tall. The question is not if he worked. It is if this version will last for 82 games and beyond.
Stronger frame, higher stakes
By every public sign, Wembanyama arrived at camp heavier, wider in the shoulders, and eager to prove it. He was officially cleared after a blood clot scare last season. Team voices say his conditioning is better. His listed height moved to 7 foot 4 and his weight to about 240, which tracks with what he and reporters have said this week. That is real mass for a player who blocks everything, handles the ball, and covers half the court in two strides. The payoff could be huge. A stronger base on post seals. Better balance through contact. More lift late in games when tired legs usually win or lose possessions.
But this is also where the worry comes in. Another fan commented, “Getting heavier is usually not a good thing for people that tall.” The line between useful strength and too much load is thin. It is even thinner after a clot and shoulder surgery. The Spurs will need to manage minutes and spike the recovery plan. A top tier season from Wembanyama is about availability as much as it is about shot making.
“I can assure you nobody has trained like I did this summer.” – Victor Wembanyama
The hype machine meets a real risk
Hype was never going to leave him. People are already throwing out letters like MVP and DPOY. Odds and expert picks put him near the top for the league’s defensive award, and the national talk shows are ready to bump him into the top tier for the big trophy if San Antonio climbs the standings. He had 24 points, 11 rebounds, and nearly 4 blocks per game before the shutdown last season. Those are numbers that sell belief.
Fans on the internet are split and loud about it. One wrote, “League cooked.” Another said, “Easily could be an MVP guy this season,” while someone else countered, “He will be great, but let us see a full season first.” The middle ground is simple. If he keeps the mobility that makes him special and layers new strength on top, the awards talk will not feel loud at all. If the weight slows him or the minutes pile up the wrong way, the shine fades. It is a narrow path. It is also the one every star has to walk.
