Victor Wembanyama amazed by recent visit to see Alaska’s northern lightsMichael C. WrightMar 4, 2026, 10:27 AM ETClose
- Joined ESPN in 2010
- Previously covered Bears for ESPN.com
- Played college football at West Texas A&M
PHILADELPHIA — Before the San Antonio Spurs resumed their annual Rodeo Road Trip, star forward Victor Wembanyama took a quick jaunt out to Alaska after All-Star Weekend to check out the aurora borealis, otherwise known as the northern lights.
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Wembanyama returned from the visit amazed by what he saw, and posted a couple of shots from the trip on his Instagram page.
“If you ask me about the northern lights, I’ve seen a couple of very cool things, a few cool things in my life,” Wembanyama stated Tuesday night, after the Spurs blasted the Philadelphia 76ers 131-91. “Northern lights is by far No. 1. It was in Alaska. It was the best thing I’ve ever seen.
“It’s just something that looks so out of place. It makes you understand all the legends, all the folklore and beliefs that people have had for thousands of years. You see things up there. The show I had was I think a historic, maybe once in a lifetime event, even for northern lights chasers. It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve seen in my life.”
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Wembanyama’s stat line against the Sixers was a beauty, too, considering the 21-year-old took a career-low five shots, finishing with a plus-minus of plus-41 to go with his 10 points, eight rebounds, four assists and six blocks.
Five of those blocks came in the first half, the fourth time this season he has had at least that many blocks in a half, according to ESPN Research. The rest of the NBA has combined for three such halves.
The 22-year-old is averaging 23.7 points, 11.2 rebounds and 2.9 blocks this season.
