Over the weekend, 37-year-old Alex Pretti was fatally shot by a federally appointed agent in Minneapolis. And now, one of the NBA’s brightest stars is making it clear he won’t stay quiet about it.
Speaking at a press conference this week, San Antonio Spurs rising star Victor Wembanyama was asked about the incident and responded with striking candor.
Wembanyama appeared to acknowledge that the Spurs’ PR team encouraged him to offer a more “politically correct” answer, but he made it clear that wasn’t something he was willing to do.
“PR has tried, but I’m not going to sit here and give some politically correct [answer]. Every day I see the news, and I’m horrified. I think it’s crazy that some people might make it seem like or make it sound like it’s acceptable, like the murder of civilians is acceptable,” Wembanyama said during a recent press conference.
“I read the news, and sometimes I’m asking very deep questions about my own life. I’m conscious also saying everything that’s on my mind will have a cost that’s too great for me right now, so I’d rather not get into too many details. It’s terrible. I know I’m a foreigner, but I live in this country, and I am concerned,” he added.
Wembanyama isn’t alone among high-profile athletes using their platform to speak out. Over the weekend, WNBA star Breanna Stewart held a sign that read “Abolish ICE” during player introductions ahead of an Unrivaled game.
Meanwhile, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr shared blunt remarks regarding Renee Nicole Good’s death earlier this month, then followed up with even stronger comments about the latest shooting and the broader media landscape on Sunday. Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers also weighed in, calling Good’s death “straight-up murder.”
Needless to say, Wembanyama’s comments led to a lot of reactions on social media.
“Good. We need more people to start standing up and finally saying, ‘This has gone too far.’ The voice and force of decent Americans may count for nothing if they are withheld too long,” someone wrote in a post on X.
“Imagine others speaking up while most american players are quite,” someone else added.
“Dude has more balls than 99 percent of players and it’s not even his country,” another fan wrote.
“It’s a reminder that even the most powerful athletes in the world feel the pressure to stay silent on human rights. Wemby is choosing his words carefully, but his horror is loud and clear,” someone else wrote.
“Man gotta love Wemby man, hes so young but so introspective, aware, and intelligent, Leagues in good hands, knows life is bigger than basketball. He’s got it all but willing to risk it by speaking up. He’s not just a goat but an amazing person,” another fan wrote.
At this point, it’s clear that many people are fed up with the ongoing deaths of innocent individuals.
About Dave Kelsey
Contributing author to The Comeback.