NBA star Wenban Yama "goes retreat and practices"? Shaolin Temple: People are in the temple, and related matters are not convenient to be disclosed

According to Sports Weekly, Spurs reporter Dusty Garza posted on social media on June 8 local time that NBA star Victor Wenbanyama, who played for the Spurs, has shaved her head at Shaolin Temple and will be in seclusion for 10 days to practice. On June 9, the reporter learned from relevant people in Shaolin Temple that Wenban Yama is indeed in Shaolin Temple.

The above report stated that on June 8, Wenban Yama came to visit Shaolin Temple in Songshan, and then many photos of Wenban Yama shaved her hair and wearing a monk's robe were circulated online. Some netizens joked that Wenban Yama is planning to become the No. 1 "high" monk in the NBA?

According to several independent sources, "Wenban Yama not only has a strong interest in Shaolin culture, but also invited a master to become a monk. He is currently conducting a 10-day retreat practice in Shaolin Temple. His upcoming travel plan has been suspended, and his entourage has also left." On June 9, the reporter learned from relevant people in Shaolin Temple that Wenban Yama is indeed in Shaolin Temple, but the relevant matters are not convenient to be disclosed to the public. The person declined the reporter's interview.

It is reported that Victor Vinbanyama was born in Lessiena, France in 2004. He is 2.24 meters tall. He is a French professional basketball player. He plays as a power forward/center and plays for the NBA San Antonio Spurs. According to media reports, in 2024, Wenban Yama won the NBA 2023-24 Rookie of the Year Award. In August 2024, he won the second second in men's basketball at the 2024 Paris Olympics with the French team. In April 2025, the 2024-25 NBA regular season officially ended, and Wenban Yama became the blocking champion of the season.

It is worth mentioning that the NBA stars who climbed to Songshan to visit Shaolin Temple are not an isolated case.

In 2009, the famous NBA center O'Neal went to Shaolin Temple to ask for advice. In the same year, NBA star Devin Harris also visited Shaolin Temple. In 2016, Wade visited Shaolin Temple, burned incense in front of the Western Saints' Hall to pray for world peace, and visited the cemetery of the monks of Shaolin Temple, Tallinn.

According to Xinhua News Agency's 2023 report, from 2008 to 2019, more than 2,000 foreign disciples from all over the world lived in Shaolin Temple every year. In the past 30 years, Shaolin Temple has continued to carry out private foreign exchanges and cooperation activities, opened Shaolin Cultural Center, and imparted Shaolin Zen and Martial Medicine culture to "foreign disciples". At present, there are more than 200 Shaolin overseas cultural centers, covering major countries on five continents. According to incomplete statistics, as of now, there are about 100 million Shaolin disciples, Chinese Shaolin culture enthusiasts, and Shaolin Kung Fu, and about 60 million overseas alone.

It is worth noting that in March this year, the tour of the Chinese tour of foreign internet celebrity speed (also known as Hyperthyroidism) attracted heated attention, and Shaolin Temple was also a stop for its tour in China. His visit triggered a wave of discussions about Shaolin Temple overseas.