French NBA star Victor Wembanyama responded to Teddy Riner’s 2027 presidential campaign with a simple “j’en pense pas grand chose,” or “I don’t think much of it,” following a sigh.
The remark came after a dominant 123-85 win by the San Antonio Spurs over the Golden State Warriors.
The world of sports continues to react to the candidacy of five-time Olympic judo champion Teddy Riner, who announced his bid for the French presidency on Monday in a brief video posted on social media. Wembanyama, known for his willingness to comment on non-sport topics, offered his reaction during a post-game press conference on Friday, RMC Sport reported.
When asked about the political engagement of the judoka, Wembanyama, who is often outspoken, gave a short and unenthusiastic reply. “J’en pense pas grand chose,” he said after a sigh. This contrasts with his previous public statements on social issues.
In October, Wembanyama had expressed his support for student protests in France, saying he was “happy that high school students are making themselves heard.” Earlier in January, he had reacted to the deaths of two citizens in Minneapolis, United States, after federal agents fired shots during immigration enforcement operations launched by Donald Trump, calling the situation “horrifying.”
Earlier on the court, the performance gap between the Spurs and Warriors was stark, leading to San Antonio’s commanding victory. The Spurs jumped to an 18-0 lead at home, with Victor Wembanyama recording three assists as part of the early surge. The French star, however, was below his shooting standards, scoring only 12 points, 18 less than his season average.
Despite the low scoring output, Wembanyama was valuable on the defensive end with 12 rebounds and showed his unselfish side. In the third quarter, he delivered two delicate lob passes to his lieutenant, Stephon Castle, who had a phenomenal game with 32 points, instead of attempting a play for himself.
“I’m ready to give my all for the team if it allows us to win with (nearly) 40 points of difference,” Wembanyama said after the match.
San Antonio’s lead ballooned to nearly double Golden State’s score at halftime, 63-33, a margin that allowed the Spurs to rest their stars. Wembanyama, for instance, played only 21 minutes and sat out the entire final quarter. The victory extends their remarkable winning streak to 11 games, coming after an initial 0-2 start to the season.
For the Warriors, the loss marks their fifth defeat of the season and comes as they are without their star player, Stephen Curry, who is averaging 27.8 points.
Meanwhile, the Warriors, without Curry, are set to host the Sacramento Kings on the same night.
