Spurs star Victor Wembanyama resumed his Halloween tradition on Saturday, arriving at Frost Bank Center dressed as Geralt of Rivia from his favorite book series, “The Witcher.”
Wembanyama, 22, explained his choice of the series. “Why is it my favorite? Because it feels as much like a fantasy book, epic fantasy, as a dive into human psychology and emotions,” he said. “The characters are so deep. After reading seven books, it’s like I know these characters like they’re friends or family members. It’s a great, great series. My favorite.”
In the series, Geralt of Rivia serves as the protagonist, a solitary hunter who travels and makes a living taking down monsters in a world where humans often prove to be more diabolical than the beasts he’s chasing.
Wembanyama had paused the ritual last season because the Spurs did not play a game on Halloween. “We don’t got a game on Halloween,” he said last year. “So, we don’t get to see a costume this year, unfortunately.”
A Streak of Creative Costumes
Wembanyama made up for lost time with this year’s outfit. His last costume appearance at an NBA arena came in 2024, when he dressed as No-Face, a character from the Academy Award-winning animated film “Spirited Away.” He wore an all-black one-piece outfit and the character’s trademark mask.
That night at the Delta Center in Utah, Wembanyama posted 25 points, nine rebounds, seven assists, five steals and five blocks in a 106-88 win over the Jazz. The performance marked the second time in his career he recorded at least five in each of five statistical categories.
Wembanyama started the tradition as a rookie in 2023. He arrived at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix in a costume derived from the fictional supernatural creature Slender Man. He finished with 18 points, eight rebounds and four blocks in a 115-114 victory over the Suns.
Teammates Join the Fun
This Halloween marked Wembanyama’s first time playing at his home arena, and several teammates joined in. Point guard De’Aaron Fox and his family dressed as characters from the Disney film “Toy Story.” Keldon Johnson kept his own tradition alive by dressing as a cowboy.
The day before Halloween, backup center Luke Kornet had not yet decided whether to dress up. “I might be wearing a costume,” Kornet said. “If I am, I’m going to be Captain [Georg] von Trapp from “The Sound of Music” because my children love it, and we listen to the soundtrack a ton. I still need to find his little whistle. I can just wear a suit, basically, right? I don’t really invest too much into my outfits, but I want the whistle.”