San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama returned to his Halloween tradition Saturday, arriving at Frost Bank Center dressed as Geralt of Rivia, the protagonist of “The Witcher” book series, his favorite books.
“Why is it my favorite? Because it feels as much like a fantasy book, epic fantasy, as a dive into human psychology and emotions,” Wembanyama 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 is 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.
A Costume Tradition Resumes
Wembanyama, 22, had paused his Halloween ritual last season because the Spurs did not play a game on the holiday. “We don’t got a game on Halloween,” he said at the time. “So, we don’t get to see a costume this year, unfortunately.”
This year, he made up for lost time. His last costume at an NBA arena came in 2024, when he dressed as No-Face, the character from the Academy Award-winning animated film “Spirited Away.” That night, he wore an all-black one-piece outfit and the character’s trademark mask, and he delivered 25 points, nine rebounds, seven assists, five steals and five blocks in a 106-88 win over the Jazz at the Delta Center. It was 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, arriving at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix in a costume derived from the fictional supernatural creature Slender Man. He posted 18 points, eight rebounds and four blocks in a 115-114 victory over the Suns that night.
Teammates Join the Fun
Saturday marked Wembanyama’s first Halloween appearance 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,” while Keldon Johnson kept his own tradition 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.”