“Victor Wembanyama, live from China, on the Great Wall itself, having an amazing time. It’s crazy.” Honestly, when you’re standing on one of the Seven Wonders, that’s the kind of line that just flies out. Right now, the Alien himself, Victor Wembanyama, is out in China. And no, it’s not just a vacation flex. But here’s where it gets interesting. Fans spotted him rocking a fresh new look at the legendary Shaolin Temple. That little moment instantly blew up online and caught the attention of Celtics legend Paul Pierce. And when Paul sees a headline-worthy situation, he does not stay quiet.

Victor Wembanyama’s not just out there sightseeing. The Spurs star is locked in for a 10-day stay at a Shaolin temple in Zhengzhou. Don’t mistake it by assuming that it’s a typical off-season getaway. The world knows this place for Chan meditation, Shaolin Kung Fu, traditional Chinese medicine, and all kinds of soul-refreshing stuff. And of course, the internet did its thing when photos of Wemby hit social media. He showed up there with a full head of hair, but now?

Victor is going around with a shaved head, draped in a monk’s robe. Recently, one viral snap even caught the 7-foot-4 giant posted up on a Chinese-style chair, surrounded by golden Buddha statues. Naturally, Paul Pierce couldn’t help himself. Being classic Paul, he jumped in with an unfiltered take. On a fresh episode of KG Certified, Kevin Garnett couldn’t help but react to Wemby’s new Shaolin vibe. Kevin said, “He went with the monks. He did what you do when you’re amongst the monks. Got a bald head. He (Victor) went bald head.” And then Paul Pierce took over!

The Celtics great said, “Oh, he’s serious, that serious. He’s coming with it. He’s like, ‘All right, I’m off this little pretty boy s—. I’m on this.’” If you didn’t know, Wembanyama’s got a bit of a “pretty boy” rep in the league. Between the curls, French accent, and smooth vibe, he’s had that label since day one. But now, out in China, he is shedding that image. Kevin even asked Paul what he made of it. Pierce didn’t hold back for a second.

“That means he locked in. I like that. He off the curls, all that light-skinned s—. He like, I’m locked in.” And then he doubled down with another gem: “He baldheaded, though. That bald head is different. When you go from the pretty head, pretty hair to the bald head, you like, I don’t care about all this. I don’t care what y’all are thinking out here.” This take of Paul was then uploaded to the podcast’s official IG account.

And honestly, he’s got a point. When a man willingly drops the vanity to chase greatness, you know something serious is brewing. It’s not about the cameras or style thereafter. It’s about getting grimy and coming back dangerous.

Victor’s expected to head back to the U.S. in a couple of weeks and link up with the Spurs at the NBA Summer League in Vegas. And if this Shaolin recharge hits right, we might not be getting the same Victor Wembanyama we knew last season. We might be watching a whole new beast about to break loose.

Victor Wembanyama dealing with the season-ending injury

Victor Wembanyama’s debut season with the San Antonio Spurs was supposed to be his breakout year. And honestly, it was, at least for the first half. The 21-year-old phenom looked every bit like the future of the league, dominating both ends of the floor and flexing that rare unicorn skill-set. But then, out of nowhere, everything hit a wall.

A troubling blood clot in his right shoulder shut his season down early, leaving fans and the team gutted. The Spurs made the smart call to shut him down for good, protecting their future star. In March, reports confirmed Wemby had successful surgery to handle the issue, and the team’s already penciled him in for a full return by the start of the 2025-26 season.

The league’s Rookie of the Year was already a heavy favorite for Defensive Player of the Year before that blood clot derailed everything. And the numbers he was putting up were ridiculous. He tried 403 three-pointers and blocked 176 shots this season. Nobody in NBA history has ever finished a season doing both. Not one. On top of that, he was averaging 24.3 points, 11 rebounds, 3.8 blocks, and 3.7 assists a night. Only one other player’s ever done that in a season was Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, way back in 1975-76.

The Spurs remain optimistic he’ll be ready when next season tips off, and the French national team’s holding out hope too. They’d love to have Wemby suit up for them at this summer’s European Championships. And if his Shaolin retreat’s any sign, this man’s dead serious about coming back stronger than ever.