{
  "id": 5060141,
  "title": "Should Victor Wembanyama Get Bigger? Lavar Ball Goes Against Popular Opinion About 2026 DPOY",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/02/should-victor-wembanyama-get-bigger-lavar-ball-goes-against-popular",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-02T09:44:36.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/victor-wembanyama-bigger-lavar-ball-094436419.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Victor Wembanyama has been making waves in the NBA with his incredible performance and unique playing style. Despite his relatively young age, the 7'5\" center has already earned numerous accolades, including being named the Defensive Player of the Year. He finished the 2025 season healthy and was a major contributor to the San Antonio Spurs' run to the NBA Finals. However, some critics argue that Wembanyama could stand to get bigger and stronger to maintain his dominance.\n\nLaVar Ball, father of NBA star Lonzo Ball, has a different perspective. He believes that adding weight could potentially diminish Wembanyama's other strengths, such as his agility, shooting range, and ability to cover ground quickly. Ball emphasized that Wembanyama's game should remain consistent, even if he gains weight. He stated, \"It don’t matter if he gained 30 pounds. If he can’t run, it don’t matter. His game has to stay the same. So he could eat and gain weight. But if not, you see, he don’t get injured like that because he don’t have a lot of weight.\"\n\nWembanyama recently represented France in the FIBA World Qualifiers and showcased his growth, both physically and mentally. Fans have noted his increased size, comparing 2023 and 2026 images of him. While some believe he has simply become more toned, others argue that he is indeed bigger. Regardless, Wembanyama's versatility and skill make him one of the top players in the league, and many remain convinced that his current approach is the most effective.",
  "summary": "Victor Wembanyama spent his summer last year fortifying his mind and body. He visited a Shaolin temple and worked with monks to get his mind right when it came to basketball. His visit paid off. He and the San Antonio Spurs became one of the most exciting teams in the league last season, reaching the [...]",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}