Victor Wembanyama is taking his offseason development to another level, and this time, he is learning from one of the greatest big men in NBA history.
The San Antonio Spurs superstar is reportedly working out this offseason with Hall of Famer Hakeem Olajuwon, adding another elite layer to what has already been an intense approach to improving his game. For a player who has quickly established himself as one of the NBA’s most unique talents, spending time with Olajuwon could provide Wembanyama with an invaluable education in the finer details of playing center at the highest level.
Wembanyama has never appeared satisfied with simply relying on his extraordinary physical gifts. At 7-foot-4, with an exceptional wingspan, perimeter skills and shot-blocking ability, the French star entered the league with a skill set that looked almost impossible to replicate. Yet his rapid development has been driven by his willingness to expand his game rather than settle for what already comes naturally.
Now, working alongside Olajuwon gives Wembanyama an opportunity to study from a player whose offensive footwork, post moves and defensive instincts helped redefine the center position.
Olajuwon spent 17 seasons in the NBA and remains one of the most respected big men in league history. During his legendary career with the Houston Rockets and Toronto Raptors, he became synonymous with precise footwork, devastating post moves and elite two-way play. His signature “Dream Shake” became one of basketball’s most recognizable offensive weapons, allowing him to create separation against defenders despite playing primarily in the paint.
For Wembanyama, that type of instruction could be particularly valuable.
The young Spurs star already possesses a remarkable offensive arsenal. He can attack from the perimeter, shoot from three-point range, handle the basketball and finish above the rim. His ability to stretch defenses while simultaneously threatening the basket creates enormous problems for opposing teams.
But adding greater sophistication to his post game could make him even more difficult to defend.
Olajuwon has worked with several NBA stars over the years, helping modern big men improve their footwork, balance, positioning and scoring techniques. His influence on players such as Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and Dwight Howard has been well documented, and his training sessions have become highly sought after by players looking to learn the intricacies of playing inside.
Wembanyama’s decision to train with the Hall of Famer therefore makes plenty of sense.
Rather than trying to reinvent his entire game, the 22-year-old can potentially use Olajuwon’s expertise to refine the areas that could turn him from an already elite player into an even more complete offensive force.
The reported financial commitment attached to the workouts is also generating plenty of attention.
Olajuwon has reportedly been charging around $100,000 per week for private training sessions, a staggering figure that highlights just how exclusive his offseason instruction has become. If Wembanyama is indeed paying anything close to that amount, the Spurs star is making a significant investment in his development.
For an NBA superstar, however, the price is less important than the potential return.
Wembanyama is entering a crucial stage of his career. The expectations surrounding him are enormous, and every offseason represents an opportunity to add another dimension to his game. Training with one of the most technically gifted centers ever to play the sport could be viewed as an investment in a future that already appears to have historic potential.
The biggest question is what Wembanyama can take from Olajuwon’s lessons and incorporate into his own unique style.
The answer could begin with footwork.
Olajuwon’s ability to move his feet in the post was one of the defining characteristics of his game. He could face up, spin, counter, pivot and attack defenders from multiple angles. His movements were fluid enough to make defenders hesitate, yet powerful enough to create scoring opportunities against elite competition.
Wembanyama, meanwhile, is already difficult to defend because of his combination of height and mobility. Adding more advanced post footwork could give him another weapon when opponents attempt to take away his perimeter game.
Imagine a defender successfully forcing Wembanyama away from the three-point line, only to find that the 7-foot-4 center can now punish single coverage with a polished series of post moves.
That is the type of evolution that could make Wembanyama nearly impossible to scheme against.
There is also a defensive component to the partnership.
Olajuwon was not merely an offensive superstar. He was one of the greatest defensive players of his generation. He won two Defensive Player of the Year awards, made nine All-Defensive teams and used his combination of timing, instincts and footwork to dominate on that end of the floor.
Those qualities should resonate with Wembanyama.
The Spurs star has already demonstrated extraordinary defensive instincts. His ability to alter shots without necessarily leaving his feet has made him one of the NBA’s most disruptive rim protectors. His length allows him to challenge attempts that most defenders simply cannot reach.
But Olajuwon’s lessons could help Wembanyama become more efficient with those gifts.
Great defense is not always about jumping higher or reaching farther. Positioning, anticipation and understanding offensive tendencies are equally important. Olajuwon’s career provides a blueprint for how a physically gifted center can combine athleticism with intelligence to control the game defensively.
Wembanyama’s offseason work could therefore have consequences far beyond his offensive statistics.
The Spurs are building around him as the centerpiece of their franchise, and his development will determine how quickly they can transition from an exciting young team into a legitimate championship contender.
San Antonio has surrounded Wembanyama with talented players, but there is little doubt that the franchise’s ceiling ultimately depends on how far its generational young star can take the team.
That reality makes every offseason significant.
Wembanyama’s first seasons in the league have already demonstrated why the Spurs believe he can become one of the defining players of his generation. His size, shooting touch, ball-handling ability and defensive range have created a combination rarely seen in NBA history.
The challenge now is consistency.
Superstars eventually reach a point where opponents have enough film to identify tendencies. Defenses adjust. Teams build entire game plans around taking away a player’s favorite actions.
The best players respond by adding counters.
That is where an offseason with someone like Olajuwon could become particularly meaningful.
If Wembanyama can develop a deeper understanding of how to operate from the post, improve his footwork and become more comfortable punishing smaller defenders, defenses may have even fewer options available against him.
The financial side of the reported training arrangement has naturally become part of the conversation because $100,000 per week is an eye-catching figure.
But NBA players routinely spend substantial amounts on training, nutrition, recovery, coaching and other elements of their offseason preparation. For a player with championship ambitions and a massive long-term future ahead of him, investing in specialized instruction can be viewed as part of the broader business of becoming an elite professional.
And few teachers offer a more impressive résumé than Olajuwon.
The former Rockets star won two NBA championships, two Finals MVP awards and one regular-season MVP. He finished his career as one of the league’s premier scorers, rebounders, shot blockers and defensive anchors.
Perhaps most importantly, Olajuwon’s game was built around skill.
He was not simply overpowering opponents with size. His footwork, balance and understanding of angles allowed him to create opportunities against defenders who were often physically capable of matching him.
That makes him an intriguing mentor for Wembanyama, whose physical profile is already extraordinary.
The objective is not for Wembanyama to become another Olajuwon. It would be impossible, and perhaps unnecessary, to replicate the game of a player from a different era.
Instead, Wembanyama can take elements of Olajuwon’s approach and integrate them into a modern offensive package.
A seven-foot-four player with Wembanyama’s shooting range does not need to play exactly like a traditional post center. He can combine old-school interior techniques with modern spacing, ball movement and perimeter shooting.
That hybrid approach could be devastating.
Wembanyama could potentially use a Dream Shake-inspired move to create space before stepping into a midrange jumper. He could attack a slower center from the perimeter before transitioning into a post-up. He could use his length to finish over defenders after creating separation with elite footwork.
Those possibilities make this offseason partnership particularly intriguing.
The NBA has increasingly emphasized versatility among its best players. Centers are expected to defend in space, facilitate offense, shoot from the perimeter and punish mismatches. Wembanyama already checks many of those boxes.
Olajuwon’s instruction could help him become even more polished in the areas where traditional big-man technique still matters.
For the Spurs, that development would be enormous.
San Antonio does not need Wembanyama to become merely a star. The franchise hopes he can eventually become the kind of player capable of carrying a championship-level team through the postseason.
That requires more than spectacular highlights.
It requires the ability to solve different defensive schemes, dominate mismatches, remain effective when shots are not falling and make the correct decision when opponents take away the first option.
The playoffs expose weaknesses that regular-season defenses sometimes cannot.
Wembanyama’s offseason training appears designed to make sure he has fewer weaknesses for opponents to attack.
There is also an important mental component to working with a legend.
Olajuwon has experienced the pressure of being the foundation of a franchise. He understands what it means to carry enormous expectations, face relentless defensive attention and perform when the stakes become highest.
Wembanyama is still relatively early in his NBA journey, but the pressure surrounding him is already enormous.
Every game is treated as another opportunity to determine whether he can become the superstar many predicted he would be. Every improvement is scrutinized, and every setback generates questions about the Spurs’ long-term trajectory.
Having an experienced champion in his corner could provide value that goes beyond individual drills.
Olajuwon can teach techniques, but he can also provide perspective.
That combination could prove especially valuable as Wembanyama continues developing into the face of one of the NBA’s most promising franchises.
The reported price tag may be eye-popping, but the real value of this offseason will ultimately be measured by what Wembanyama looks like when the next season begins.
Will his post game be more refined? Will his footwork become more deceptive? Will he become stronger and more comfortable playing through physical defenders? Will he find new ways to punish teams that attempt to take away his perimeter shooting?
Those questions will be answered on the court.
What is already clear is that Wembanyama is approaching his development with the mindset of someone who understands that talent alone is not enough.
He has physical gifts that few players in basketball history have possessed. But instead of treating those gifts as the finish line, he appears determined to build on them.
Training with Hakeem Olajuwon would represent another major step in that process.
For the Spurs, the hope is that the investment produces a more complete superstar. For Wembanyama, it is an opportunity to learn from a player who mastered many of the same areas he is now trying to perfect.
And for the rest of the NBA, the possibility is a little frightening.
If Wembanyama returns from the offseason with an improved post arsenal, sharper footwork and even greater confidence in his offensive versatility, opposing teams could soon find themselves dealing with a player who has added another layer to an already unprecedented skill set.
The NBA has spent the past few seasons discovering just how special Wembanyama can be.
Now, with one of the greatest centers in league history reportedly helping him sharpen his craft, the basketball world has another reason to watch closely.
The offseason may not produce championships, but for Wembanyama, it could lay the foundation for them.
And if the reported $100,000-per-week price tag is accurate, the Spurs superstar is betting heavily that lessons from one of the greatest big men ever will help take his game to a level even the NBA has not seen before.
Be the first to comment