Victor Wembanyama Mourns Grandmother’s Death With Touching Tribute of Never-Before-Seen Photo

On Tuesday, Victor Wembanyama competed in the finals of the 2025 Emirates NBA Cup. The San Antonio Spurs center had a solid outing with 18 points and six rebounds, but as it turned out, something was weighing heavily on Wembanyama's mind.

As reported by The Athletic, Wembanyama had found out that morning that his grandmother had passed away in their native country of France. The day after, Wemby went on Instagram to post a picture showing his childhood self with his grandma.

Victor Wembanyama posts a heartfelt tribute to his grandmother. Credit: Wembanyama/IG

Following the Spurs' 124-113 loss to the Knicks in the NBA Cup finals, the All-Star big man tried his best to maintain his composure during the post-game media availability. However, Wembanyama could not hold back the tears and apologized to reporters for getting emotional.

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"Sorry, I lost somebody today," a shaken Wembanyama said.

Currently, there's no confirmation of whether Wembanyama will fly back to France to be with loved ones in this difficult time.

At the start of the season, Wembanyama got fans and analysts buzzing about his potential first MVP win as he posted incredible numbers in scoring and rebounding. Wemby's statistical surge came hand in hand with the Spurs occupying a comfortable spot near the top of the Western Conference standings.

A calf injury has somewhat derailed Wembanyama's momentum, and it has also led the Spurs to take a more cautious approach, bringing their franchise player off the bench. Nevertheless, San Antonio is right in the thick of things, and Wembanyama is likely headed towards his second All-Star appearance.

Viral clip shows Victor Wembanyama's interaction with Jalen Brunson after NBA Cup finals loss

As it turns out, there was a valid reason behind an apparently questionable interaction that Wembanyama had with Knicks star Jalen Brunson after the NBA Cup finals. In a viral clip, Wembanyama is seen barely acknowledging Brunson after the final buzzer sounded.

It's safe to say, then, that Wembanyama's actions in that clip were not in poor taste. Bearing the weight of the NBA Cup finals loss and the situation in his personal life, Wemby had so much going on in his mind at the moment.

Edited by Simoun Victor Redoblado