Victor Wembanyama had a powerful message for young protesters in France

Victor Wembanyama has never been shy about sharing his views on social issues away from the court. The San Antonio Spurs’ 22-year-old superstar came out against ICE in the wake of Alex Pretti and Renee Good’s murder by federal immigration enforcement officers earlier this year, and said he’ll never promote a sports gambling company. Wembanyama grew up in suburban Paris, so it’s no surprise that he also has thoughts on the massive protests across France by young people fighting for increased education funding, which has quickly turned into one of the biggest news stories in the world this week. After the Spurs played a preseason game against the Atlanta Hawks on Thursday, Wembanyama gave us his support for protesters in a strong statement. “These are systemic inequalities,” Wembanyama said of the French youth fighting for access to better education. “I hear them and I support them.” Watch his full statement below, which has tens of thousands of likes on social media. Victor Wembanyama, interrogé sur le mouvement lycéen en France (via @MaximeAubin1) : "Ce qui me touche, c'est que ce n'est pas quelque chose de totalement inconnu pour moi. J'étais au lycée à Nanterre, qui était déjà un bastion des blocus à l'époque. J'étais lycéen il n'y a pas… — TrashTalk (@TrashTalk_fr) October 9, 2026 Here’s the transcription of Wembanyama’s comments: “What touches me is that this isn’t something completely unfamiliar to me. I was in high school in Nanterre, which was already a stronghold of the blockades at the time. I was a high school student not so long ago. I was lucky enough to get out, it’s a situation I’m fortunate enough not to experience anymore.” These are systemic inequalities, such deep-seated problems… I’m glad that high school students, young people in general, are making their voices heard, because I hear them and I support them. And I hope that the people at the top will do the same. Young people in France have started mass protests opposing budget cuts in local high schools that have led to teacher shortages and poor conditions inside schools without heating or air conditioning. French students have reported that teachers have been absent for several weeks at a time, along with “boiling hot” conditions during a heat wave throughout the country. The ensuing protests have often clashed with local police. Wembanyama may be considered a villain by some NBA fans after elbowing Naz Reid in the head and getting away with some dirty fouls on the New York Knicks during the NBA Finals, but he’s also one of the most socially conscious young athletes in the modern sports landscape. We’ll be tracking his statements all season long.

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