Victor Wembanyama reveals he has put on significant weight since draft night

Jun 24, 2023; San Antonio, TX, USA; San Antonio Spurs draft pick Victor Wembanyama walks onto the court at a press conference at AT&T Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Victor Wembanyama is no longer a 7-foot-4 McLovin.

The San Antonio Spurs rookie star Wembanyama revealed to reporters this week that he has added significant weight since draft night. In the roughly three-and-a-half months since the draft, Wembanyama said that he has put on about 15 pounds of muscle.

“I’ve learned as much about my body in these past three months than I have in the past five years,” said Wembanyama, per Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News. “We can work smarter, because we know a lot more … My conditioning and physical condition are way, way better than any time in my life.”

McDonald notes that the Spurs listed Wembanyama at 230 pounds at the start of training camp. In addition to the strict diet and training program Wembayama has undergone for years, the Spurs have also added Guillaume Alquier, Wembanyama’s longtime French strength coach, to their full-time staff. You can read McDonald’s full story here.

Wembanyama was listed at 209 pounds when he was drafted, so it looks like he has put on closer to 20 total pounds since then. The 19-year-old’s slender frame is an obvious concern, especially for such a tall man heading into a very physically-demanding league. But between the newly-added weight and the Spurs’ reported plan for him this season, Wembanyama’s body hopefully should have all the tools necessary to hold up in the NBA.