Who Are Victor Wembanyama’s Parents, Élodie de Fautereau and Félix Wembanyama?
Victor Wembanyama arrived within the NBA already carrying a repute that no teenager ought to should stay as much as, however then he exceeded it anyway. Born within the western suburbs of Paris not removed from Versailles, Victor grew up in a household the place basketball was not a lot a alternative as an inheritance.
His mom, Élodie de Fautereau, is a former skilled basketball participant and coach. His maternal grandparents, Michel and Marie-Christine de Fautereau, each performed the game professionally. Additionally, his older sister, Ève, plays basketball professionally todayand his youthful brother, Oscar, you have already won a junior national title with Victor’s former group, Nanterre 92. While his father, Félix, wasn’t a basketball participant, he was a observe and discipline athlete who competed within the excessive leap, lengthy leap, and triple leap, bringing a unique however complementary athleticism to the household. (Both dad and mom stand nicely above six toes.)
Victor, who additionally goes by the nickname “Wemby,” first gravitated towards soccer, enjoying as a goalkeeper, and additionally practiced judo earlier than selecting basketball. His profession kicked off in France on the age of 15, and 4 years later, he was already within the 2023 NBA Draft, the place the San Antonio Spurs chosen him first total.
What adopted was one of the vital embellished rookie seasons in league historical past, leading to him being unanimously named the 2024 NBA Rookie of the Yearcompleted second in Defensive Player of the Year voting, and grew to become each the primary rookie and the youngest player ever named to the All-Defensive First Team. For the 2025-26 season, he won the Defensive Player of the Year award outrightchanging into the youngest and first unanimous recipient within the award’s historical past.
On the worldwide stage, Victor represents his dwelling nation of France, lately successful an Olympic silver medal in entrance of a house crowd, including his familywith the senior nationwide group on the 2024 Summer Games in Paris. Below, get to know Victor Wembamyama’s dad and mom, Élodie and Félix.
Meet Victor’s mother, Élodie de Fautereau:
Élodie, who stands 6 toes 3 inches tall, is a former member of the French nationwide basketball group and now coaches younger kids within the sport. She is the guardian Victor credit with introducing him to basketball. “She teaches basketball to really young players, like, from four to 10 or something like that. But for performance, I never trained with her,” Victor advised Euroleague Basketball. “It’s not that she doesn’t want to get involved in my performance, but she knows her role. You know what I mean? And she knows as a parent sometimes it’s better to fade off or not to get too much involved in your children’s path.”
Élodie at a French National Basketball League sport when Victor competed for the Metropolitans 92 in 2022.
Victor spent a lot of his early childhood at whichever health club Élodie was teaching on the time. “I mean, I had the choice and I still have the choice to play or not play basketball, but basketball has always been around,” he told Online Slam. “I can’t avoid it in my family.” He also describes a resemblance that goes beyond the physical. “She’s more like me. We really look alike, and she’s kind of eccentric sometimes.”
Their bond has been visible in some of the most emotionally charged moments of his career. After the United States defeated France in the gold medal match at the 2024 Olympics, TV cameras captured Victor falling into Élodie’s arms as she consoled him at courtside.
Élodie at the Olympic women’s basketball semifinal between France and Belgium in 2024.
More recently, she made a rare public appearance before a Spurs playoff game in April, the day after Victor won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award. When asked how he felt to claim his first major individual NBA honor, Victor glanced toward her. “It feels great. My Mom is sitting next to me!” he told Sports Illustrated. Élodie offered a wave to the camera, prompting smiles from everyone in the room. Victor then added: “[My mom] said something very true: ‘The real struggle may have been getting to 65 games.’”
Meet Victor’s dad, Félix Wembanyama:
Victor along with his father Félix on the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio in 2024.
Born in Belgium and of Congolese origin, Félix is a former observe and discipline athlete. Standing at 6 toes 6 inches tall, Félix competed within the excessive leap, lengthy leap, and triple leap. He acquired French nationality in February 2003, lower than a yr earlier than Victor was born.
Félix’s affect on Victor’s improvement was much less about basketball and extra about motion, method, and self-discipline. “You know, there’s a correct way of running. And he taught me things like that,” Victor advised Euroleague Basketball of his father. Around age 10, Victor even spent a yr competing on a observe and discipline group himself. “Dad gave me the passion for knowing subjects in depth,” Victor advised Online Slam“being a real technician of sports, of whatever I do.”
Rachel King (she/her) is a information author at Town & Country. Before becoming a member of T&Cshe spent practically a decade as an editor at Fortune. Her work overlaying journey and life-style has appeared in Forbes, Observer, Robb Report, Cruise Criticand Cool Huntingamongst others. Originally from San Francisco, she lives in New York together with her spouse, their daughter, and a precocious labradoodle. Follow her on Instagram at .
