Overview

• Wembanyama said his summer work was “brutal” and “much more violent” after deep vein thrombosis cut his season short in February.
• He declared defense “non-negotiable” from the first preseason game, emphasizing team accountability regardless of status.
• Teammates described a nonstop drill in which he defended every player one-on-one without breaks, sprinted the length of the court, and repeated the sequence.
• His offseason included spiritual and physical work abroad, with meditation and Kung Fu at a Shaolin temple in Zhengzhou and a visit to NASA’s Johnson Space Center.
• He trained for two weeks in Los Angeles with Harrison Barnes and skill coach Noah Laroche using a Constraints-Led Approach, and he reports feeling stronger, heavier, and better conditioned.