In an age where maintaining relationships with corporate brass seems to take precedence, it consequently stifles the voices of the people. So, earlier this week, when San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama spoke out about his dismay with the ICE raids in Minnesota, it sent shockwaves throughout the sports landscape. It was reminiscent of the energy we became familiar with during 2020’s reckoning of police brutality in this country.

As ESPN reported, Wembanyama said, “Every day I wake up and 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 the murder of civilians is acceptable.”

Victor Wembanyama’s humble French beginnings

The 22-year-old French-born phenom was raised differently than most. His parents fostered a balanced home in which he competed in a bevy of sports, including judo. Literacy was also big in the Wembanyama household as his parents exposed him to reading on his own from an early age.

That thoughtfulness from an early age allows you to be mindful and aware. There’s an empathy that’s fostered through being encouraged to view the world through a more critical lens. With that presence of mind, coupled with not being raised in American culture, there’s no way he would be bound by our standards during these times. What do I mean? In the contemporary basketball culture in the U.S., you’re groomed from grade school.

The basketball pipeline in the U.S.

If you have talent and your goal is the NBA, then AAU tournaments, college and everything in between are geared toward that goal. The easiest way to make it through is to have blinders on and just play ball. So, the players we produce usually stick to that formula. But Wembanyama isn’t part of that.

This isn’t to say that other players haven’t spoken out. In fact, Tyrese Haliburton of the Indiana Pacers sent out an X post. Donovan Mitchell of the Cleveland Cavaliers went into detail with his dismay about the goings on with ICE in this country. But what sets Wembanyama apart from those two fellas is that those guys are league veterans at this point. They’ve matured and have taken ownership of the responsibility that they have in the NBA as leaders. The Spurs superstar is so early into his career and already sees the importance of honesty.

Victor Wembanyama gets it

Think about it: Wembanyama started off his comments by saying, “I’m not going to sit here and give some politically correct [answer].” He understands what’s at play and how his comments can be used to disrupt future or even present endorsements. The deal here is this, though: As players are continuously commodified for their talents, their leverage will always be in their voices. They are the, for lack of a better term, product. There is no NBA without them. So, if more players continue to be vociferous in their dismay over the atrocities that go on in this country, there really can’t be much blowback. They’re not going to take away everyone’s endorsements. That’ll hurt their bottom line.

What Wembanyama did was huge because it has the potential to encourage other young players to speak their truths without fear of consequence. Through a macro lens, I hope that athletes remain vocal on social issues. Corporations will act differently when they realize that you’re informed and not just out here going through the motions.

Silence is complicit with all that plagues us currently. To combat it, we need literacy and sacrifice. There’s just no way around it. From the looks of things, Wembanyama exhibits a lot of both.