Paris — Victor Wembanyama, the face of French basketball, has thrown his considerable weight behind the country's wave of student demonstrations, declaring solidarity with tens of thousands of teenagers taking to the streets over the state of their schools.
The San Antonio Spurs star addressed the protests at a press conference on Thursday night, days after a fan on Instagram asked him to join the demonstrations — a message he answered with a simple "I would love to."
A movement that keeps growing
France's Interior Ministry said 71,500 people took part in Thursday's demonstrations nationwide, including 24,500 in the main Paris march centred on Place de la Bastille. The figures underline how a movement that began in classrooms has become one of France's most significant protest waves in decades.
What started last month at high schools in Paris's poor northern suburbs — driven by anger over teacher absences and crumbling facilities — has evolved into a nationwide campaign against inequality, weak public spending and falling educational standards.
"I'm glad young people are speaking up"
Wembanyama framed the protests as a response to deep structural failings. "These are systemic inequalities — problems so deep-rooted that, in fact, I'm glad that high-school students and young people in general are speaking up," he told reporters, according to Reuters.
"I hear them, and I support them, and I hope the people at the very top will do the same," the 22-year-old added. "I was in that position not so long ago."
The 7-foot-4 centre recalled his own schooldays at a lycée in Nanterre, west of Paris, describing it as a "stronghold of 'blocages'" — the student-led school blockades that have long been a feature of French teenage protest culture. "I've had the chance to escape this system, to escape these problems. But it's chance, it's luck. So I want to show my support," he said, per Al Jazeera.
A star unafraid of speaking out
Wembanyama, the 2023 No. 1 NBA draft pick and the league's reigning Defensive Player of the Year, has never shied away from public positions on social issues. Earlier this month he publicly criticised professional athletes for promoting sports-betting sites, saying "I will never do that."
His intervention lands at a moment when the school protests show no sign of fading, and when figures in France's sports and cultural life are being pressed to take sides. A celebrity endorsement of this scale — from arguably the country's most famous athlete under 25 — gives the student movement a visibility that street marches alone cannot buy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Victor Wembanyama say about the student protests?
He told a press conference that he hears and supports the students, calling the problems in French schools "systemic inequalities" and expressing hope that "the people at the very top" would support the teenagers too.
How many people joined the Thursday demonstrations?
France's Interior Ministry put the figure at 71,500 nationwide, with 24,500 marching in the main Paris demonstration at Place de la Bastille.
How did the school protests start?
They began last month at high schools in Paris's poor northern suburbs, where anger over teacher absences and shabby facilities quickly evolved into a nationwide movement against inequality, weak public spending and falling standards.
Has Wembanyama spoken out on social issues before?
Yes. The Spurs star has a record of public positions on issues beyond basketball, most recently criticising athletes who promote sports-betting sites.
Why does Wembanyama's support matter?
As France's biggest young sporting icon, his backing gives the student movement national visibility and legitimacy — and signals to the teenagers protesting that their cause reaches well beyond the school gates.
Sources
- Reuters — Wembanyama to French students: I hear you
- Al Jazeera — NBA star Wembanyama to French students: 'I hear you'
- Channel News Asia — Wembanyama to French students: I hear you
