San Antonio Spurs player Victor Wembanyama is “horrified” following the fatal shootings involving Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in Minnesota.
The 21-year-old NBA star, who hails from France, spoke out despite some initial hesitation, he noted, during a post-practice press conference on Tuesday, Jan. 27, the San Antonio Express News and CBS News reported.
“PR has tried, but I’m not going to sit here and give some politically correct [answer],” he told reporters at the Victory Capital Performance Center, per ESPN. “Every day I wake up and see the news, and I’m horrified. I think it’s crazy that some people might make it seem like or sound like the murder of civilians is acceptable.”
On New Year’s Eve, an off-duty ICE agent in Los Angeles shot and killed a Black man, Keith Porter Jr., over celebratory gunfire. Since then, there have been two more high-profile killings of Americans by ICE agents, including Renee Good and Alex Pretti, who were both shot and killed in Minneapolis.
Investigations into the fatal shootings of all three are underway, though no charges have been filed in either case.
“I read the news and sometimes I’m asking very deep questions about my own life,” Wembanyama continued, adding, “But I’m conscious also that saying everything that’s on my mind would have a cost that’s too great for me right now. So I’d rather not get into too many details.”
The basketball star, who joined the league in 2023, said he “for sure” feared repercussions from speaking openly about such a hot-button issue.
“It’s terrible,” Wembanyama said. “I know I’m a foreigner. I live in this country, and I have concerns for sure. I think there’s enough detail there for now. If privately, we can discuss it maybe later, but not right now.”
Two days before his remarks, the National Basketball Players Association released a statement saying the league’s players can “no longer remain silent.” Wembanyama is also the second Black Frenchman in the NBA to speak out. A day earlier, Guerschon Yabusele of the New York Knicks shared his own thoughts in a post on X.
“I can’t stop thinking about the tragic events unfolding in Minnesota, and even though I’m French, I can’t remain silent,” Yabusele wrote. “What’s happening is beyond comprehension. We’re talking about murders here; these are serious matters. The situation must change. The government must stop operating this way. I stand with Minnesota.”
Wembanyama praised his fellow countryman, noting he’s “always proud of [people] speaking their minds.” He added that Yabusele’s words “might have some price right now,” saying that “each and every one of us has to decide the price we’re willing to pay.”
