SAN ANTONIO — De’Aaron Fox didn’t even know why it occurred. When he arrived at Spurs observe on Thursday, he noticed the 2 faces of his group: Keldon Johnson and Victor Wembanyama. What he didn’t see was any hair on their heads.
After touchdown residence from their 119-98 loss to the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder, Johnson and Wembanyama did what anybody would do after a troublesome day at work: They shaved their heads bald.
“Unhealthy issues occur, I assume, once we lose to OKC,” Fox mentioned. “We landed. They bought in Vic’s automobile and began shaving their heads.”
After all, Johnson needed to share his aspect of the story. He’s by no means been shy of the mic, and he’s by no means missed a possibility to hitch in on some enjoyable. It seems that Johnson was jealous that his finest pals had been bald and he simply needed to be like them.
“So I instructed all my teammates I used to be going to bald my head,” Johnson mentioned. “We had a TV recreation, so I couldn’t bald my head.”
The OKC loss on NBC introduced the proper time for a recent begin. The Spurs had been on prime of the NBA world once they beat the Thunder 3 times in 12 days throughout December however have fallen again to earth over their final 10 video games. They’re 4-6 since beating the Thunder on Christmas and have ceded the second seed within the Western Convention again to the Denver Nuggets. After Wembanyama took a beating in opposition to the Thunder, it was time to modify one thing up.
“Then final night time, Vic was like, ‘Yo, let’s bald our head.’ I used to be like, ‘S—, let’s do it,’” Johnson mentioned. “I’ve been in search of a purpose to do it.”
Keldon Johnson explains that he and Victor Wembanyama shaved one another’s heads:
“Final night time, Vic was like, ‘Yo, let’s bald our head.’ And I used to be like, ‘Shit, let’s do it. ‘ I imply, I have been in search of a purpose to do it.“ pic.twitter.com/UTAMN66l7F
— Jared Weiss (@JaredWeissNBA) January 15, 2026
Once they bought off the airplane, they obtained some clippers and started working.
“Vic bald my hair, and I bald his hair. No ladder,” Johnson mentioned. “However I started working on my abilities a bit, my clippers. I is perhaps a barber when it’s all mentioned and completed.”
Barbers have totally different types. Some make it an journey alongside the best way, and a few simply get the job completed as shortly as they will. Some are quiet, and a few received’t shut up. It received’t be laborious to guess which camp Johnson falls into.
“It took me a bit of bit. I used to be making an attempt to be cautious, ’trigger he bought hit. He had a knot on his head,” Johnson mentioned. “So I used to be making an attempt to ensure the whole lot was clean. I take my time. I needed to fade it up a bit of bit at first, then I gave him a bit of bowl lower, then we simply went from there.”
On the opposite finish of the spectrum was Wembanyama, who knew he needed to transfer shortly to reap the benefits of a second of calm from his teammate. Johnson admitted he was jittery after the sport — as he at all times is — however was chill when it was time to go bald.
“He did good. He was fast with it. No lie, Vic most likely took three minutes,” Johnson mentioned. “Growth, increase, increase, knock all of it down. I used to be like, ‘Wow!’”
Whereas Johnson was impressed by his pals, Wembanyama really went bald this summer season when he was coaching with Shaolin monks in China.
“Nobody noticed Vic (in particular person) when he did it in the course of the summer season. We simply noticed photos. However this? I’ve nothing to say about this,” Fox mentioned facetiously.
Rely on Johnson to provide his teammates what they want, even when it is probably not what they need. He’s an unavoidable presence within the locker room and on the court docket. The primary to tear a shirt off his again for his teammates, though he’s normally not carrying a shirt anyway.
He would possibly want to start out dressing for heat a bit extra now. The one draw back to Johnson’s choice is that it bought chilly in San Antonio as soon as he returned, with in a single day lows within the 30s. Whereas he is aware of what to do along with his physique on the court docket and within the gymnasium, his head is having a tough time determining find out how to regulate his physique temperature.
“This (is) the primary time my head’s been sweating,” Johnson mentioned. “My head’s chilly. I’ve been making an attempt to maintain the skully on.”
The Spurs had some spectacular consistency within the first third of the season, even with out their greatest star lacking important time. Johnson’s persistently good vibes, and even his singing voice, helped them keep focus whereas having enjoyable.
Instances are getting harder these days as they attain the a part of the season when many younger groups hit the wall. However Johnson received’t let that take away their pleasure. He loves doing issues collectively. He wouldn’t even shave his head till a teammate joined in. The participant who has been with the Spurs the longest stays a key a part of the group as a result of his favourite a part of his job is being a part of the group.
“I get up on daily basis, and I get pleasure from coming to work and being right here with this group,” Jonson mentioned. “Studying, laughing, joking, going by way of the great instances and the dangerous instances, I really feel like that’s what builds actual bonds proper there. I really feel like this group has been wonderful.”
