San Antonio Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama, a native of France, told reporters he was “horrified” and “concerned” about the state of the U.S. after the deaths of Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti, two American citizens killed by federal immigration officers in Minneapolis.
“I’m not going to sit here and give some politically correct [answer],” the 22-year-old said Tuesday. “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.”
Wembanyama said that recent events have forced him to ask some “very deep questions” about his own life, but told reporters he was “conscious” about what he said in public because it would “have a cost that’s too great for me right now.”
“I’m a foreigner,” he added. “I live in this country. I am concerned for sure.”
On Wednesday, the “Morning Joe” crew shared their reactions to Wembanyama’s remarks. Willie Geist called the professional basketball player an “incredibly smart and thoughtful guy” and praised Wembanyama, along with other foreign-born sports stars, who have been “speaking in an honest way that some athletes aren’t always willing to do.”
Fellow co-host Jonathan Lemire also weighed in and said Wembanyama’s choice to speak out was “reflective of two things.”
The first, he said, was the “genuine fear that a lot of people feel” about Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown and the violent actions of federal agents. The second was “how this particular story has really broken through.”
Lemire said the conversation has “left the bubble” of cable news, noting even “apolitical figures” have spoken out and condemned the administration’s actions.
The MS NOW host said he wondered how fear around Trump’s crackdown would affect foreign-born athletes and fans who planned to attend the World Cup. “I keep coming back to the idea, how is this country going to pull off a World Cup in a few months?” he asked.
You can watch the full conversation from “Morning Joe” in the clip at the top of the page.
Allison Detzel is an editor/producer for MS NOW. She was previously a segment producer for “AYMAN” and “The Mehdi Hasan Show.”