San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama detailed the intensity of his offseason preparation, calling it the most demanding training of his young career. Speaking at Spurs media day, the 21-year-old emphasized that his focus was on physical conditioning and defensive work.
“When Wembanyama returned, he went to work with a vengeance,” reported Jared Weiss of The Athletic. The Frenchman admitted that he designed his routine to push his limits. “My training this summer, it was brutal,” he said.
The reigning All-Star pushed through what he described as “violent” sessions aimed at building strength and endurance. “Maybe that takes away from some time I can spend on shooting the basketball, but it doesn’t matter. I wanted to get my body back,” Wembanyama explained.
His relentless approach earned the respect of teammates. Newcomer Lindy Waters III highlighted the mindset Wembanyama brought into camp. “At his age, it’s eye-opening to see somebody come in and demand excellence and demand greatness,” Waters said. “It makes me want to work harder.”
Wembanyama noted that the payoff is already visible. “I’m so much more under control and my conditioning has gotten so much better, but that comes at a price and what I’ve done this summer is world class,” he said.
The Spurs phenom enters the 2025-26 campaign coming off a promising yet shortened sophomore season. He averaged 24.3 points, 11 rebounds, and a league-leading 3.8 blocks in 46 games before being shut down in February due to deep vein thrombosis in his right shoulder.
Despite the setback, Wembanyama’s impact was historic. He became the youngest player ever with 30 points and 10 blocks in a single game, and joined Hall of Famers Hakeem Olajuwon and David Robinson in rare statistical company.
Now under new head coach Mitch Johnson, San Antonio is preparing for its first season in nearly three decades without Gregg Popovich on the sidelines. Alongside Wembanyama, the roster features promising young talent including Stephon Castle and 2025 draft picks Dylan Harper and Carter Bryant.
For Wembanyama, the goal is clear: elevate his conditioning to sustain dominance throughout the season. “Even in the field of professional sports, I don’t think many people have trained the way we’ve trained this summer,” he said.
