The 21-year-old French phenom said many of his meals during the trip consisted of zucchini and rice noodles, adding that his weight was up to 245 pounds—even with occasional sneaks of meat to maintain his stature.

Victor Wembanyama is tapping into his inner monk. As part of an offseason excursion to China, the 7-foot-4 Spurs center is taking part in a 10-day retreat at the 1,500-year-old Shaolin Temple.