Victor Wembanyama is reportedly taking his offseason development to another level, and this time, the San Antonio Spurs superstar is turning to one of the greatest centers in NBA history for guidance.
According to reports, Wembanyama has been working with Houston Rockets legend Hakeem Olajuwon during the offseason as the young superstar continues his relentless pursuit of improvement. The reported training partnership has generated plenty of attention around the basketball world, particularly because of the unique combination of size, skill and defensive instincts that both players bring to the center position.
Olajuwon, a two-time NBA champion, Hall of Famer and one of the most technically gifted big men ever to play the game, has long been regarded as one of the premier private mentors for NBA players looking to expand their offensive games. His famous footwork, post moves, balance, timing and ability to operate around the basket made him a nightmare for opposing defenses throughout his career. For Wembanyama, who already possesses an extraordinary collection of physical and basketball skills, working with Olajuwon could provide another layer to an already evolving game.
The reported price attached to the sessions has also grabbed attention. Olajuwon is said to charge around $100,000 per week for exclusive private training, an extraordinary figure that underscores the level of expertise and individual attention associated with his workouts. While the reported financial details have not been independently confirmed, the larger story is clear: Wembanyama appears determined to use every available opportunity to become an even more complete player.
Few players in NBA history have entered the league with the combination of expectations and physical tools that surrounded Wembanyama. At his towering height, with an unusually long wingspan, impressive mobility and guard-like ball skills, the French superstar arrived in San Antonio carrying expectations that he could eventually become one of the defining players of his generation. Rather than allowing those expectations to slow his development, however, Wembanyama has consistently approached his career with the mentality of a player who believes there is still much more to learn.
That mindset makes a potential relationship with Olajuwon particularly intriguing.
During his legendary career with the Rockets, Olajuwon became synonymous with footwork and offensive creativity. His “Dream Shake” became one of the most recognizable post moves in basketball history, allowing him to create separation against defenders despite operating in an era dominated by physical interior play. He could face up, spin, counter, shoot over defenders and attack from multiple angles. More importantly, Olajuwon’s game demonstrated that being a dominant center was not simply about size or strength. It was about balance, patience, footwork, timing and the ability to manipulate defenders.
Those are precisely the types of details that could benefit Wembanyama.
Wembanyama already has an offensive arsenal that is unusual for a player of his size. He can handle the ball, shoot from the perimeter, attack closeouts, finish around the basket and create shots that most players simply cannot attempt. His length gives him the ability to shoot over defenders, while his mobility allows him to move into spaces that traditional centers often struggle to reach.
But the NBA is a league built on constant adjustment. As Wembanyama becomes more dominant, opposing teams will inevitably devote additional resources to limiting his favorite moves. Defenders will attempt to force him away from his preferred spots, send additional help and use physicality to disrupt his rhythm. Developing a more sophisticated collection of counters could therefore become one of the most important steps in his evolution.
That is where Olajuwon’s expertise could become invaluable.
A young center can learn plenty simply by watching film of Olajuwon’s career, but receiving instruction directly from the Hall of Famer offers an entirely different opportunity. Olajuwon can explain the subtle details behind the moves that made him so difficult to defend: how to establish position, how to read a defender’s weight, when to use a spin, when to counter a counter and how to maintain balance while creating separation.
For a player like Wembanyama, those details could be especially dangerous because of his physical advantages.
Imagine Wembanyama combining his existing perimeter game and unprecedented length with even more refined post footwork. A defender already has to worry about his ability to shoot over the top. If that same defender must also account for a series of polished post counters, face-up moves and turnaround shots, defending him becomes an even greater challenge.
The potential impact extends beyond scoring.
Olajuwon was not merely an offensive superstar. He was one of the greatest defensive players in NBA history. He won Defensive Player of the Year twice and consistently demonstrated an elite understanding of positioning, anticipation and timing. His ability to block shots without simply gambling for them was one of the defining elements of his defensive game.
Wembanyama, meanwhile, has already established himself as one of the league’s most disruptive defensive forces. His length allows him to contest shots from seemingly impossible distances, while his timing and instincts make him a threat around the rim even when he is not directly involved in the initial defensive action.
Learning from someone like Olajuwon could help him refine the mental side of that dominance.
The best defensive big men understand that shot blocking begins well before the actual block. Positioning, anticipation, body angles and understanding an opponent’s tendencies can determine whether a defensive possession ends with a clean contest or a spectacular rejection. Olajuwon mastered those principles, and Wembanyama has the physical tools to potentially take them to another level.
That is part of what makes the reported offseason training so fascinating.
Wembanyama does not appear to be approaching his development as a player who believes he has already figured everything out. Instead, he is reportedly seeking knowledge from legends who excelled in areas that could complement his existing abilities. That kind of humility is often an important characteristic of elite athletes.
There is also a broader significance to Wembanyama working with Olajuwon. The NBA has always been a league in which basketball knowledge is passed from one generation to another. Young stars study the players who came before them, while former legends share lessons that cannot always be learned through traditional coaching.
Olajuwon has previously worked with NBA players seeking to improve their post games, and his reputation as a mentor has made him a sought-after figure among big men. The opportunity to learn from a player who faced some of the greatest centers in basketball history could be particularly valuable for Wembanyama as he builds his own legacy.
The reported $100,000-per-week figure, if accurate, is certainly eye-catching. It would represent an enormous investment in individual development, but for a player with Wembanyama’s ambitions, the price may be less important than the opportunity.
NBA superstars routinely invest significant time and resources into their offseason programs. The difference between being very good and becoming historically great can sometimes come down to marginal improvements that are difficult to see from the outside. A slight adjustment to footwork, a better understanding of positioning or a more reliable counter move can become extremely valuable over the course of an 82-game season and the playoffs.
Wembanyama’s offseason has therefore become another chapter in a larger story about his development.
The Spurs selected him with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NBA draft because they believed they were acquiring a generational talent. His combination of size and skill immediately made him one of the most fascinating prospects the league had seen in decades. But potential alone does not guarantee greatness. Players must continue improving after entering the league, particularly when opponents begin studying them with the same intensity that scouts once used to evaluate them.
Wembanyama has shown an apparent willingness to embrace that challenge.
Working with Olajuwon would fit naturally into that approach. Rather than simply adding more workouts to his schedule, Wembanyama would be seeking instruction from a player whose understanding of the center position was developed at the highest level.
The partnership could also produce an intriguing stylistic evolution. Wembanyama’s game is already modern in almost every sense. He can operate outside the traditional boundaries of the center position, stretching defenses with his shooting while simultaneously threatening the rim. Adding more traditional big-man craftsmanship to that skill set could make him even more unpredictable.
For defenders, that would be a frightening proposition.
A center who can shoot from deep is difficult enough to contain because pulling a rim protector away from the basket creates driving lanes for teammates. A center who can also attack from the perimeter, handle the ball and protect the rim creates additional problems. If Wembanyama continues developing his post game and footwork under the guidance of a legend such as Olajuwon, opponents could eventually be forced to choose between several equally difficult defensive options.
And that may be the ultimate goal.
Wembanyama does not need to become Olajuwon. His physical profile and style are completely different. The objective would be to absorb the lessons that made Olajuwon successful and incorporate those principles into his own unique game.
That distinction matters.
The greatest players rarely become great by copying another superstar. They study legends, borrow concepts and then adapt those lessons to their own strengths. Wembanyama has an opportunity to do exactly that. His frame, shooting ability, coordination and defensive range are unlike anything Olajuwon had at his disposal. Combining those natural gifts with some of the most refined footwork ever displayed by a center could create something entirely new.
For the Spurs, that possibility is understandably exciting.
San Antonio is building around a player who could potentially define the franchise for years. Every improvement Wembanyama makes during the offseason could have significant consequences for the team’s long-term trajectory. The organization will want him to remain healthy, continue developing his physical strength and become increasingly comfortable carrying responsibility on both ends of the floor.
His decision to seek out elite basketball knowledge during the offseason suggests that his personal ambitions remain enormous.
There is, of course, no guarantee that private training with a Hall of Famer will automatically translate into championships, MVP awards or statistical dominance. Basketball development is complicated, and success depends on far more than individual skill. Team chemistry, health, coaching, roster construction and playoff execution all matter.
Still, the willingness to invest in improvement is noteworthy.
If the reports surrounding Wembanyama and Olajuwon are accurate, the Spurs superstar is spending part of his offseason learning from one of the most accomplished centers the game has ever produced. For a player who already possesses extraordinary natural ability, adding elite technical knowledge could be one of the most important pieces of his continued evolution.
Olajuwon spent his career proving that greatness at center requires more than overwhelming physical strength. It requires intelligence, patience, creativity and mastery of details. Wembanyama already has physical gifts that few players in NBA history have possessed.
Now, he appears to be searching for ways to sharpen the details.
That should be a fascinating development for the rest of the NBA.
The league has already seen what Wembanyama can do with his extraordinary combination of length, shooting, ball handling and defensive instincts. The possibility of him adding elements of Olajuwon’s legendary footwork and post mastery creates another tantalizing question: just how high can his ceiling become?
For now, the reported offseason workouts remain part of Wembanyama’s preparation for another demanding NBA season. But if the young superstar can translate the lessons of one of basketball’s greatest centers into his own modern skill set, the results could be spectacular.
Wembanyama’s journey toward becoming an NBA great is still in its early stages. Yet every offseason gives him another opportunity to add something new to his game. Working with Hakeem Olajuwon, one of the ultimate teachers of the center position, would represent a remarkable investment in that journey.
And if Wembanyama continues approaching his development with the same hunger, curiosity and ambition, the basketball world may be witnessing the early construction of something truly special.
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