San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama has spoken candidly in interviews about his reaction to two fatal shootings involving federal immigration agents in Minnesota, saying the situation has left him deeply shaken and “horrified.” The deaths of intensive care nurse Alex Pretti, 37, and Minnesota resident Renee Good, also 37, both killed by federal agents earlier this month, have sparked protests locally and across the United States.
The incidents occurred during an ongoing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operation that has been active in the city for more than six weeks. The operation, ordered under President Donald Trump’s administration, grants ICE agents broad authority to stop, detain, and arrest individuals suspected of being in the country illegally. Critics argue that these powers, combined with aggressive enforcement tactics, have created a climate in which civilian deaths are being treated as collateral damage.
Speaking to reporters, Wembanyama acknowledged that he had been reluctant to comment publicly, noting that the Spurs’ public relations team had advised him to stay away from the topic. Still, he made it clear during the interview that he was unwilling to deliver a sanitized response.
“Yeah, PR has tried,” Wembanyama said, before adding, “but I’m not going to sit here and give some politically correct answer.”
He explained that the constant stream of news coverage has been emotionally overwhelming. “Every day I wake up and see the news, and I’m horrified,” he said. “I think it’s crazy that some people might make it seem like, or make it sound like, the murder of civilians is acceptable.”
Wembanyama also referenced comments made earlier in the week by New York Knicks forward Guerschon Yabusele, another French player in the NBA, who posted a forceful message on X calling on the US government to “stop operating this way.” While praising his countryman’s willingness to speak out, Wembanyama acknowledged during his interview that such statements can come with serious consequences.
“He might be paying a price right now,” Wembanyama said of Yabusele, adding that “each and every one of us has to decide the price we’re willing to pay.”
When reporters asked whether he personally feared repercussions for speaking about immigration enforcement and the shootings, Wembanyama answered honestly: “For sure.”
“I read the news and sometimes I’m asking very deep questions about my own life,” he said. At the same time, he stressed that he remains conscious of his position as a foreign national living and working in the United States. “Saying everything that’s on my mind would have a cost that’s too great for me right now,” he explained.
Wembanyama concluded the interview by saying he did not want to elaborate further on the issue in public. “I know I’m a foreigner. I live in this country, and I have concerns for sure,” he said. “I think there’s enough details there for now. If privately, we can discuss it maybe later—but not right now.”
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