Friday’s Emirates NBA Cup 2025 matchup between Houston and San Antonio will be the first time the Rockets have seen Spurs phenom Victor Wembanyama since the 2024-25 season.
But in recent months, the 21-year-old did spend significant time with someone very close to the Rockets.
Hakeem Olajuwon, a two-time champion, 1993-94 Most Valuable Player (MVP), and universally regarded as the best player in franchise history, spent a week or so training Wembanyama this offseason. (Over the years, the Hall of Fame center has done that in Houston with many current NBA players, including Rockets star Alperen Sengun.)
Now 62 years old, it’s safe to say that Olajuwon likely couldn’t outplay the 7-foot-4 Spurs star on the basketball court. But there is at least one sport where “Wemby” isn’t able to match up.
Per ESPN insider Shams Charania, who spoke this week on Network with Rich Kleiman (via Boardroom):
I heard a funny story, you know, he spent a week in Houston working out with Hakeem Olajuwon. And every day they’re having these on-court sessions. And then afterward they would play ping pong together. And someone, someone around Victor Wembanyama told me he literally lost every game against Hakeem Olajuwon. And ping pong, he did not win once. Hakeem beat him every single time. But every day he was back at it, wanting to play Hakeem at ping pong.
He would just take Ls, and I’m like, ‘That’s the only L he’s taking all summer.’ Because then he goes on the court and he’s able to absorb all these lessons, and just look at how dominant he looks. His competitive fire, I think, is great to see.
As David Robinson can attest from the 1995 playoffs, it’s not the first time that a superstar Spurs big man has taken losses to Olajuwon in Houston.
An All-Star last season, Wembanyama is currently averaging 25.6 points (50.8% FG), 12.9 rebounds, 4.1 blocks, and 3.1 assists in 33.7 minutes per game. His Spurs (5-2) are currently tied with the Rockets for the third-best record in the Western Conference, and that tie will be broken after Friday’s in-state showdown.
Kleiman, of course, is the longtime agent and business partner of current Rockets star Kevin Durant. His complete podcast with ESPN’s Charania can be viewed below.
This article originally appeared on Rockets Wire: Even at 62, Hakeem Olajuwon swept Victor Wembanyama in table tennis
