Victor Wembanyama is the most marketable star in the NBA. He’s on par with legends like Stephen Curry, LeBron James, and Michael Jordan in terms of sheer popularity.
He’s signed lucrative endorsement deals with Nike, Gatorade, Louis Vuitton, and H-E-B (of course!), but has made it clear that he will not promote alcohol, unhealthy food, or gambling. In his mind, it’s his duty as a role model to promote healthy habits.
If his “socially conscious” mindset ended there, he would likely remain undivisive. He is, to an extent, using his platform to call out and draw attention to various injustices. Fox’s Laura Ingraham, who coined the term “shut up and dribble,” probably isn’t Wembanyama’s biggest fan.
Luckily, it seems that Wembanyama doesn’t watch Fox News. No one should subject themselves to that!
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Victor Wembanyama Doesn’t Back Down From Touchy Subjects
Since he entered the NBA, conservative voices haven’t really figured out what to do with Wemby. Of course, they haven’t figured out a lot of things, so this isn’t necessarily shocking.
Dating back to last season, Wembanyama hasn’t shied away from hot-button issues.
“Every day I wake up and see the news, and I’m horrified,” said Wembanyama of ICE’s increasingly violent tactics in January. “I think it’s crazy that some people might make it seem like or sound like the murder of civilians is acceptable.”
Now, plenty of empty-headed commentators might simply tell him to stick to basketball, or at least stick to politics in his own country. After all, Wembanyama is not an American citizen and can’t vote in US elections, although something tells me he wouldn’t be the biggest Ken Paxton fan. While US-based journalists tend to ask US-based questions, Wembanyama is just as in tune with the happenings back home, too.
Students and teachers back in France are currently protesting against poor working conditions and lack of funding for education. For Wemby, who isn’t too far removed from his school days, it’s the biggest storyline right now.
“I was in that position not so long ago,” Wembanyama said of the current protests. “I’ve had the chance to escape this system, escape this trouble, but it’s a chance, it’s luck. I want to show my support.”
Wemby, like Gregg Popovich, has kept his ear pressed against the newswire. His NBA career is just getting started, but he has aspirations of a second career once his playing days are over.
“Being young and Black isn’t something that affects me every day,” Wembanyama told Maxime Aubin. “It’s impactful, but not in my sphere of privileged social circles…Will I have a role to play in the [political] future at that level? Yes, I’m sure of it.”
The American right has to grapple with several realities: first, people listen to Wemby. He’s one of the biggest celebrities on Earth. Second, and supremely important: he’s a traditionally masculine figure. Despite complaints that modern NBA players are “soft,” there’s nothing more “manly” than being a professional athlete. Guys like LeBron James and Stephen Curry have spoken out about political issues, but draw the line when they get paid. They refuse to condemn Israel, and James is a partner with Polymarket. Wemby has made sure he won’t fall into the same traps.
Now, is it fair to expect athletes to take unprompted political stands? Absolutely not! But when they position themselves to be so-called “thought leaders” like James has tried to be, they have to answer some uncomfortable questions. Wembanyama, it seems, embraces these conversations, and as a young, masculine, influential mensch, he can occupy a space that is usually filled by “betas” like David Hogg and Dean Withers. These guys are typically more educated on the actual issues than Wembanyama, but they are easily dismissed by the right, which demands traditional male values from their figures and contemporaries.
Guys like Hassan Piker, Abdul El-Sayeed, and James Talarico are stronger “masculine” examples and have gained enormous popularity in recent months. Athletes have all the same appeal as those guys, plus a built-in audience. If Wembanyama continues to lean into his political beliefs publicly, he could join Piker, El-Sayeed, and Talarico as a champion for a “new left” that embraces stronger stances.
The right wouldn’t really know what to do with that.
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