It was a special night for Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs yesterday as they entered the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas for their maiden NBA Cup final appearance. However, as the game progressed, things went from bad to worse for the Silver and Black and their superstar center.

Despite a valiant effort from Wembanyama, not only did the Spurs fall short 124-113 against the New York Knicks in the NBA Cup final, but the towering Frenchman also lost someone really close to his heart, his grandmother. So, who was she? And how close was she to Wemby?

Who was Victor Wembanyama’s grandmother? All to know about Marie Christine

Throughout the 21-year-old meteoric rise to the NBA and even within the NBA, his family has played a huge role, including his maternal grandmother, Marie Christine. Growing up in Le Chesnay, France, alongside his sister Eve and brother Oscar, Victor’s early life was hugely impacted by his grandmother, who also shared a passion for basketball with her grandchild.

Her love for the game emerged when she started playing the sport during her childhood days. However, when Victor Wembanyama’s maternal grandfather, Michel de Fautereau, started playing professional basketball, she took up the role of acting as anchor for her husband. She used to drive her husband to games and pick him up later.

A habit that continued during the later years of her life for her grandchild. Although Marie Christine seemingly never played the sport professionally, the love for sports ran deep in her veins, as you could tell through her gestures for her husband and Victor Wembanyama. In fact, she even attended a few of the Spurs center’s games. So, what happened to Marie Christine?

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What happened to her? Know the reason behind her death

As we’ve mentioned, Victor Wembanyama’s maternal grandmother played a huge role in his upbringing. So, when the news of her death reached him, as expected, the 21-year-old was devastated. Although the Spurs superstar did contribute massively, scoring 18 points, six rebounds, and two blocks, coming off the bench amid his minutes restriction, he was not doing great.

“I’m sorry, I lost somebody today,” he said after the loss, as he turned emotional, talking to the reporters.

While the cause of his grandmother’s death, who passed away back in France, is still unknown to the masses, it’s safe to say it has affected Wembanyama a lot. Nonetheless, you’ve got to show respect to the youngster, who, despite knowing the saddening news, played his heart out on the court, but unfortunately couldn’t guide his team to a win.

How good was Victor Wembanyama’s relationship with her?

It’s a well-known fact in and around the league just how close Victor Wembanyama is to his family. All the way from sharing a great bond with his parents, Félix Wembanyama and Elodie de Fautereau, to his siblings. Similarly, the San Antonio phenom also shared a close-knit relationship with his grandmother.

Marie Christine also reciprocated her grandchild’s love while growing up in France. More so, because she was also an admirer of his game. While Wembanyama started playing at an early age and wasn’t much at home, spending most of his time inside the gym or the court, his grandmother still played a huge role in his life.

Now, with him moving to the United States to play in the NBA and follow his dreams, Marie Christine might not have seen Victor Wembanyama as much as she would’ve liked to, but she was arguably one of his biggest fans. Even though she might not be able to see him on the Television or live again, it’s for sure that she’ll be rooting for her grandkid from the heavens.