The NBA has never seen someone like Victor Wembanyama. His otherworldly physique sets him up for a groundbreaking level of stardom. Still, Victor is the latest in a line of Wembanyama family members to become a pro athlete.

Both of his parents had athletic careers of their own, as did his grandparents. Wemby’s siblings are also part of the family legacy. Here’s what we know:

Victor Wembanyama was born in Le Chesnay, France

Victor Wembanyama was born on January 4, 2004, in Le Chesnay, a small town in the western suburbs of Paris. In addition to basketball, he played soccer (primarily as a goalkeeper), track and field, and judo before focusing on his future career. 

As Wembanyama rose up the ranks, word quickly spread about his incredible talents. Victor’s current agent, Bouna Ndiaye of Comsport, knew Wembanyama’s parents for years after his mother, Elodie de Fautereau, coached Ndiaye’s son. But Ndiaye heard about the young phenom through local scouts.

His agent, who also represents French NBA players Rudy Gobert, Evan Fournier, and Nicolas Batum, didn’t usually watch players at such a young age. However, he could see this was a player with the potential to surpass French legends like Tony Parker. 

“I first heard about him when he was 12. I waited until he was 14 at a tournament in Créteil, [and] I saw an artist [in him],” he told Slam Magazine. “He just played the game with ease — no-look pass, a creator, no pressure whatsoever, no position, three-pointers — he was everywhere. It was such a joy to watch.” 

Victor Wembanyama’s parents

Becoming the most-hyped prospect since LeBron James was never the goal for the Wembanyamas. But Victor’s parents did use their careers to ensure that their child was prepared for the world of sports early in life.  

At his athletic peak, Felix Wembanyama, who is of Congolese descent, was a 6-foot-6 field athlete who competed in the high jump, long jump, and triple jump. He taught Victor how to run properly and a greater appreciation for details.  “Dad gave me the passion for knowing subjects in depth,” said the 2023 No. 1 pick in the Slam article, “being a real technician of sports, of whatever I do.”

Before taking up coaching, Elodie was a 6-foot-3 basketball player. Despite being one of Victor’s first coaches, she did not impose herself on his development, a decision he greatly appreciates for the freedom it gave him.

“She teaches basketball to really young players, like, from 4 to 10 or something like that. But for performance, I never trained with her,” Wembanyama said on Euroleague‘s official website. “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 get too involved in your children’s path.”

Victor Wembanyama’s family

A passion for sports is embedded even deeper in the Wembanyama family tree. Victor’s grandfather Michel De Fautereau was a 6-foot-7 center who played for Paris University Club in the ’60s. His grandmother Marie Christine also played basketball. 

His siblings are also ballers. Victor’s older sister Eve is a pro basketball player who most recently played for Monaco and represents France in 3-on-3 basketball. She won gold with the national team at the FIBA U16 European championships in 2017. Their younger brother Oscar is part of the U18 team at ASVEL, one of Victor’s former teams. 

The Wembanyamas are a special family, but Victor is one of a kind. Judging from appearances, he’s internalized his status as a generational talent worth millions of dollars without letting the game subsume his entire personality. Even when you come from a family full of hoopers, ball is not, in fact, life. Ndiaye got the same impression of him when he first met Wemby. 

“I asked Victor what type of player he wanted to be. He replied, ‘I want to be me, Victor Wembanyama,'” he recalled. “I loved it…It means he knows who he is. Victor likes life as much as he likes basketball. He likes to draw, he likes good food, he is cultured. That’s really important to me, you can’t only be focused on basketball — it’s unhealthy.”