"Buddy's gonna retire at 8'0" - NBA fans react to Victor Wembanyama reportedly growing taller in offseason

San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama is gearing up for his third season. According to the Spurs' updated roster on their team website, the 2024 Rookie of the Year has grown taller.

He was listed as being seven feet, three inches tall in his rookie season. The latest roster update lists Wembanyama as seven feet, five inches tall, leading to a reaction from fans on social media. One fan on X (formerly called Twitter) joked about the report.

"Buddies gonna retire at 8'0."

Brian Regan

@RapSheek

@LegionHoops Buddies gonna retire at 8’0

Other fans on X reacted positively to the report.

Gelson Luz

@gelsonluz

@LegionHoops Regardless of the exact fraction of an inch, the kid is an absolute phenomenon and it's exciting to watch. If he ends up even an inch taller, his defensive impact and shooting angles are just going to become even more unfair for the rest of the league.

JBond

@jbondwagon

@LegionHoops Wtf?! Bro trained with the monks, Hakeem, and KG this offseason + GREW 2 INCHES MORE? He’s gonna be unstoppable this season

Mad Woof

@husea16

@LegionHoops what the heck. how are you gonna block his jumpers now

More reactions from fans on X.

Belema🦺 ✨

@BelemaCrypt

@LegionHoops That growth spurt is wild as if he wasn’t already a matchup nightmare at 7’3! Wemby at 7’5 with his skillset is straight out of a video game.

Steak 🥩 for breakfast

@MeatDietDiary

@LegionHoops Unreal, the alien era is upon us.

Wembanyama’s 2024-25 season was cut short due to a deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in his right shoulder. Following the diagnosis, the Spurs shut him down for the remainder of the season, and he underwent surgery to address the clot. He was later fully cleared to play again, with team doctors giving him the green light.

At the time of the shutdown, he had played 46 games and recorded 24.3 points, 11.0 rebounds and 3.7 assists, and he was leading the league in blocks (3.8 per game).

During the offseason, he spent about 10 days at a Shaolin Buddhist temple in Zhengzhou, China. During the visit, he engaged in Chan (Zen) meditation, Shaolin Kung Fu training and exposure to traditional Chinese medicine techniques and monastic routines.

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What's next for Victor Wembanyama?

Victor Wembanyama would come into the 2025-26 season with a point to prove after his premature end to the 2024-25 season. The Spurs would also be cautious about risking further complications to the DVT he suffered. That will result in minute restrictions for the former No. 1 pick.

Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs jokes with teammates in the first half of in a pre-season game against he Guangzhou Loong-Lions at Frost Bank Center on October 6, 2025 in San Antonio, Texas. - Source: Getty

The Spurs will want to make the postseason for the first time since finishing 10th in the 2021-22 season. Wembanyama will be tasked with leading the Spurs in their first full season without legendary coach Greg Popovich. However, keeping Wemby healthy should be the key priority.