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At this point, whether or not Victor Wembanyama has taken over the mantle of “Face of the NBA” from LeBron James isn’t really up for debate anymore.
The 7-foot-4 French superstar has led the San Antonio Spurs to the NBA Finals and captivated the sports world in a way that even the most casual of basketball fans can’t help but to be in awe of his presence and play.
But Wembanyama isn’t just growing his legacy on the court; he’s also becoming a huge star off of it as well. The Spurs’ big man has endorsement deals with massive companies such as Nike and Louis Vuitton.
However, there’s one market where he firmly draws the line, refusing to sign an endorsement deal regardless of the company.
Victor Wembanyama Will Not Endorse Any Soda Companies
In a recent profile of Wembanyama for The Athletic, reporter Jared Weiss spoke with Wembanyama’s agent, Jeremy Medjana, about his seemingly rapid ascent into superstardom.
“The philosophy is, we don’t want him to be too distracted. We want him to stay focused, and this is why he did not sign too many deals,” Medjana told Weiss. “If you sign too many deals, then you cannot stay focused on the main goal to be better, to get rest, to get treatment.”
Specifically, Wembanyama and Medjana have made an explicit point to stay away from the soda industry when it comes to brand deals.
“We’re not gonna mix his image with sodas like Coca-Cola,” Medjana said. “They all want him, but Victor will never sell soda. Because he doesn’t want to kill the kids.”
That is…a very drastic way to explain the decision.
Yes, soda on the whole is not particularly healthy. And in large quantities, especially at a young age, it can lead to major health complications down the line, whether it’s obesity or diabetes.
However, the odd soda here or there isn’t likely to cause you to drop dead. Even so, Wembanyama isn’t messing around. He even has the Spurs’ communication department remove Gatorade from the tables at his postgame press conferences.
So if you’re a brand hoping to attach itself to Victor Wembanyama as he continues to take over the NBA, you’d better hurry up, because everyone else has the same idea.
Unless, of course, you’re a soda company. In which case, we’d suggest trying a different player.