Victor Wembanyama suggests Karl Malone should be in jail on his birthday

Victor Wembanyama stirred conversation on social media Friday after responding to the NBA’s birthday tribute for Hall of Famer Karl Malone with a viral meme that raised eyebrows across the league. Yup, I know. I’m sorry. I have to write about something.

On Thursday, the NBA posted a message on X (formerly Twitter) celebrating Malone’s 62nd birthday. The post featured highlights from his playing career and a simple birthday message to the two-time MVP and Utah Jazz legend.

But the post quickly went viral for a different reason—when Wembanyama reposted a fan’s video reply to it. The video shows a man reacting with disbelief and exclaiming, “What? Oh no, see that’s what we not about to do. Police lock his a– up! You need to be under the jail, like what? What you say?”

Wembanyama takes shot at Karl Malone

Wemby retweeted a video implying that Karl Malone should be locked up 😂😂 pic.twitter.com/jKIWWsi46W

— jedi (@victorjediyama) July 25, 2025

This moment sparked discussion among fans, many of whom took Wembanyama’s repost as a subtle reference to Malone’s controversial personal history. Malone has faced public scrutiny over allegations that he fathered a child with a 13-year-old girl when he was 20 years old. That child, Demetress Bell, went on to play in the NFL.

Though Malone and Bell reportedly reconnected years later, the situation has long remained a point of tension when it comes to Malone’s legacy, especially during public acknowledgments by the league.

While Wemby offered no comment to clarify his repost, the moment also touched a nerve with Spurs fans. Malone and the Utah Jazz knocked the Spurs out of the playoffs three separate times in the 1990s, and in 1998, Malone made headlines for an elbow to David Robinson that left the Spurs legend unconscious during a game.

Although Wembanyama is only 21 years old, it appears he’s well aware of both the on-court and off-court history connected to Malone.

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