The San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder have one of the most intriguing developing rivalries in the NBA. The Spurs won the first three matchups, but the Thunder finally got some revenge in the fourth matchup earlier this week.
After the defeat, Victor Wembanyama and teammate Keldon Johnson debuted new looks. Both players were sporting shaved heads at Thursday’s practice, and now we know the backstory there.
Victor Wembanyama and Keldon Johnson Shaved Each Other’s Heads After Thunder Loss
Johnson spoke with the media after practice and, naturally, was asked about his and Wembanyama’s new looks.
Wemby got a haircut. pic.twitter.com/hpGhTnSwzA
— Jeff McDonald (@JMcDonald_SAEN) January 15, 2026
The wing revealed that it was actually Wembanyama’s idea. Apparently, after returning from Oklahoma City, Wembanyama said to Johnson, “let’s bald our heads” before the teammates took turns shaving each other.
The full story of why Victor Wembanyama and Keldon Johnson shaved their heads in the wee hours of the morning after they landed from OKC pic.twitter.com/cOrO3qmsym
— Jacob Tobey (@JacobRTobey) January 15, 2026
Apparently, Johnson had been wanting to shave his head recently anyway, so he quickly obliged. Johnson also mentioned that Wembanyama only “took three minutes” to cut his hair, while he took his time cutting Wembanyama’s.
This isn’t the first time Wembanyama has rocked a shaved lid. Back over the summer, the young star took a trip to the Shaolin Temple in China for what he called a “journey of inner discipline, focus, and mind-body harmony.” Wembanyama shaved his head for that trip as well.
Wembanyama and Johnson will debut their new looks on the court on Thursday night against the Milwaukee Bucks.
Spurs Remain Among Top Teams in NBA Despite Recent Struggles
Entering the Thursday night matchup, the Spurs are sitting atop the Southwest Division with a 27-13 record. The team currently holds the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference.
However, the Spurs haven’t been playing as great recently. The team has just four wins over the last 10 games and has currently lost two in a row. In Monday’s rematch with the Thunder, the Spurs lost by 21, which is their biggest defeat of the season.
Wembanyama is having a stellar season, though. The former top pick is averaging 24.0 points, 11.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 2.7 blocks per game while shooting a career-best 51.4% from the field.
Per NBA Advanced Stats, the Spurs are currently 10th in net offense rating and third in net defense rating. The team has home games against the Bucks, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Utah Jazz before heading back on the road.
