Victor Wembanyama is spending the summer the way great leaders tend to, pulling people toward him rather than waiting for them to arrive. The San Antonio Spurs star is hosting eight to 10 teammates in France this week for workouts, a voluntary gathering that the franchise’s chief executive described as a reflection of the extraordinary pull the 21-year-old has developed over his three seasons in the league.
The visit came together through a simple ask. Wembanyama called his teammates and invited them to spend a week with him in France, and enough of them said yes to fill what amounts to a team bonding session halfway around the world. The Spurs’ CEO, who made his third trip to France since the start of July for a recent appearance on a French television program, described the moment as one of the clearest signs of genuine leadership he has seen in his years around professional basketball.
Rising second-year guard Dylan Harper has already made the trip, photographed in Paris over the weekend during an NBA summer event at the Palais Brongniart. Harper and Wembanyama both participated in that event before the broader teammate workouts began.
A leader unlike any the franchise has seen
The Spurs’ CEO was careful to characterize Wembanyama’s leadership style as something entirely his own rather than a copy of a predecessor or an archetype. He described great leaders as rarely resembling anyone else, and Wembanyama embodies that idea in the way he carries himself, takes care of his body, connects with family and draws people to him.
The France trip is a specific example. Organizing a voluntary international workout, with most of the roster choosing to attend, speaks to something beyond mere popularity. It reflects the kind of respect that comes from consistent behavior over time, not a single gesture.
Wembanyama came to the Spurs at 19 as the most anticipated draft prospect in years. In three seasons, he has made two All-Star teams and this past season became the first unanimous winner of the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award, while also earning first-team All-NBA recognition. He averaged 25 points and 11.5 rebounds per game in 64 games this season, both career highs, after being limited to 46 games the prior season by a deep vein thrombosis diagnosis.
The offseason of a franchise cornerstone
Beyond the France workouts, Wembanyama’s summer has included training with Hakeem Olajuwon, the Hall of Fame center whose footwork and post-scoring techniques remain influential in how young players think about the position. He has also participated in teammate workouts hosted by point guard De’Aaron Fox.
The business side of his life also closed some significant chapters this offseason. Wembanyama signed a five-year, $252 million rookie scale extension with the Spurs in July, and finalized a signature shoe deal with Nike. The extension signing was held at his grandfather’s home in France, a deliberately intimate setting he preferred to anything larger or more ceremonial.
That detail is revealing. A player who could have organized a major public event to mark one of the largest contracts in franchise history chose instead to sign it surrounded by family in a private home. The Spurs’ CEO described that combination of ambition and authenticity as precisely what makes Wembanyama remarkable.
What comes next for San Antonio
The Spurs lost in the NBA Finals to the New York Knicks this season, falling in a close and contested series. The France workouts represent the first informal preparation for an organization that will return to the season with a clear understanding of what it would take to go further.
The Spurs believe they have the central figure necessary to compete for a championship. The question now is whether the team built around Wembanyama can reach a level consistent with what he is capable of producing. The teammates who made the trip to France suggest that belief is shared.
