'I hear them and support them': NBA star speaks out in support of France's protesting youth
French basketball star Victor Vembanyama, who plays for the San Antonio Spurs club of the National Basketball Association, expressed support for French teenagers protesting against unacceptable conditions in schools and higher educational institutions of the country
“This is systemic inequality – issues so deep-rooted that I’m frankly glad that high school students and young people in France as a whole are speaking out on this issue and coming out on the street protists,” San Antonio NBA star Victor Vembanyama told a club news conference on Thursday night. “I hear them and fully support them. I hope the people at the top do the same.”.
Earlier, the French Spurs player replied: "With pleasure" when a fan in a social media post asked him to join the French teenagers protest. “I have a great interest in this protest. I'm saying this quite seriously. I myself was in a similar situation not so long ago and I understand the problem well.”.
“I had a chance to break out of this system, to break out of these problems. But it's accidental, it's luck. So I want to express my support to my young compatriots. It's familiar to me. I studied at a high school in Nanterre (a suburb of Paris – Ed.), which was already a stronghold of the “blockades”, said the famous basketball player, referring to the school barriers organized by students.
Concerns about the state of public schools are fueling some of the most significant protests in France in decades. They began last month in high schools in the impoverished northern suburbs of Paris, where discontent with teacher shortages and dilapidated conditions quickly escalated into a nationwide movement against inequality, insufficient public funding and declining education standards.
The 2026 NBA finalist with San Antonio has never been afraid to speak out on social issues. He recently expressed frustration at professional athletes advertising sports betting sites: "I would never do that." Honestly, I'm very sad to see some players promoting this. Everyone does what they want, but without me. I want to promote something that has a positive impact on the world, with whom I can share my ideas and values.”.
Last season, the 2024 Olympic finalist also admitted that he feels a certain sense of guilt about polluting the environment as much as a person who flies 41 times a season: "I want to contribute and offset my negative carbon footprint by making an impact both financially and socially," the player said.
