In an NBA season already defined by jaw-dropping shots and highlight dunks, Victor Wembanyama — the San Antonio Spurs’ 7-foot-4 franchise centerpiece — gave the basketball world something truly different:
a viral flying kick that wasn’t meant to score points, but redefined the limits of human athleticism.
The viral moment came during warmups before the Spurs’ matchup with the Memphis Grizzlies. As practice balls built up in the rim’s net — a funny quirk of warmups — Wembanyama stopped mid-routine and delivered a high, karate-style kick that sent one of the lodged basketballs flying free. Those inside the FedEx Forum were stunned not just by the height he reached but by the gravity-defying control he displayed, all while touching down cleanly. The clip quickly exploded across social media, with fans and analysts alike replaying the moment and trying to explain what they had just seen.
The moment resonated because it was playful and unique. Here was an elite athlete, returning to action after being sidelined with a left knee bone bruise, showing off a move that seemed like it belonged in a martial arts studio rather than a basketball arena. Yet Wembanyama pulled it off with ease.
After the video went viral, Wembanyama was asked if he thought he could actually break the world record for a high kick and he replied that he thinks he he could exceed it. That’s not him cocky or showing off, that is an athlete extremely aware of his body’s capabilities and limits.
Beyond NBA workouts, Wembanyama has drawn from outside sources for training — including training with monks during offseason retreat in China that emphasized balance, leg strength and flexibility — experiences that give his physical advantage over others in the league.
While it was cool to everyone else, it likely gave Spurs Head Coach Mitch Johnson and the medical staff a headache and maybe a heart attack in the process. Think of like a parent who sees their kids doing something they probably shouldn’t. While fans may be frustrated at a minutes restriction or Wemby’s availability at times, Johnson sees the bigger picture. Maybe that’s why as cool as the kick was, it may not happen again.
“But there’s nothing that we’re willing to risk long term or big picture with that guy, as we’ve said many times,” Johnson said of Wembanyama after a recent game.
If the Spurs aren’t willing to risk Wembanyama’s health for a regular-season win in December or January, it may be best for him to leave the kicking to the professionals.
In a league where viral moments are often dramatic game winners and ankle-breaking crossovers, Wembanyama’s kick expanded the conversation. It wasn’t about scoring or defense; it was a pure display of athletic expression — a brief intersection of sport, spectacle, and human potential. To put it bluntly, it was pretty freaking cool.
And in a season when every Spurs game carries added scrutiny — partly because of Wembanyama’s availability and impact when he is on the court — the kick served as a reminder: elite athletes are defined as much by their unpredictable brilliance as by their box-score dominance. This time, Wembanyama gave the world both in roughly the same breath.
