Victor Wembanyama has seen what we have all seen out of Minneapolis: Massive protests by the city’s residents against the expanded presence of ICE and federal agents in their city. He has seen the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Minneapolis ICU nurse Alex Pretti by a federal officer, which sparked larger, more intense protests in the city. In the wake of that killing — and the fatal shooting by another federal officer of Renee Good a couple of weeks prior — there has been an outpouring of grief and anger in the city and around the nation. The Timberwolves and Warriors players have been watching this firsthand.
Tuesday at Spurs practice, Wembanyama spoke out on what he saw, saying he was “horrified” by the “murder of civilians.” Here is his full quote:
“PR has tried, but I’m not gonna sit here and give some politically correct [answer]. Every day I wake up and see the news and I’m horrified. It’s crazy that some people make it seem like it’s acceptable, like the murder of civilians is acceptable,” Wembanyama said. “I read the news, and sometimes I’m asking very deep questions about my own life, 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 go into too many details.”
Wembanyama also admitted he is concerned about repercussions from what he said.
“For sure. It’s terrible,” Wembanyama said. “I know I’m a foreigner, I live in this country and I am concerned for sure.”
If there are any repercussions, they will not come from the Spurs, who have the outspoken Gregg Popovich at the helm. Wemby will have the Spurs’ support.
Wembanyama is not the only NBA player — or the only French NBA player — to speak out.
Alex Pretti was murdered.
— Tyrese Haliburton (@Hali) January 25, 2026
I can't stop thinking about the tragic events unfolding in Minnesota, and even though I'm French, I can't remain silent. What's happening is beyond comprehension. We're talking about murders here, these are serious matters. The situation must change, the government must stop…
— Guerschon Yabusele (@yabusele28) January 26, 2026
What is happening in the Twin Cities and the Great North Star State is heartbreaking to witness. These events have cost lives and shaken families — and we must call for accountability, transparency, and protections for all people. This moment demands that we reflect honestly on…
— Karl-Anthony Towns (@KarlTowns) January 26, 2026
The NBA players’ union also released a statement.
Statement from the NBPA and its Executive Committee on the Fatal Shooting in Minneapolis by ICE.
— NBPA (@TheNBPA) January 25, 2026
“There comes a time when silence is betrayal” -MLK pic.twitter.com/ka6CjhfHBb
