Élodie de Fautereau is a French former basketball player and youth coach best known as the mother of Victor Wembanyama. Her own connection to the sport, however, began long before her son’s NBA career. FIBA records document her participation in European club competition, while her coaching work helped introduce children to basketball in the Le Chesnay–Versailles area. Understanding her story means looking at both parts of that life: the player who competed internationally at club level and the mother whose son grew up spending time in the gyms where she coached.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Name | Élodie de Fautereau |
| Date of birth | August 12, 1971 |
| Nationality | French |
| Basketball background | Former player and youth coach |
| Height | Approximately 6 feet 3 inches, or 1.91 metres |
| Children | Ève, Victor, and Oscar Wembanyama |
FIBA supplies her birth date and nationality; established sports coverage documents her height, coaching background, and family relationships.
Her Playing Career Included European Club Basketball
De Fautereau’s playing history includes an appearance for Mosa Jambes in the Ronchetti Cup. FIBA’s archive lists her under the competition’s 1999 edition, recording six games and averages of 10.2 points and 4.7 rebounds per game. Those figures provide a concrete view of her contribution as a player.
The Ronchetti Cup was a women’s European club tournament. FIBA preserves its results within its historical archive of second-tier European women’s club competitions. Playing in that setting placed de Fautereau in competition beyond a domestic league schedule.
Her Recorded Ronchetti Cup Statistics
| FIBA archive entry | Recorded figure |
|---|---|
| Competition year | 1999 |
| Club | Mosa Jambes |
| Games played | 6 |
| Points per game | 10.2 |
| Rebounds per game | 4.7 |
| Assists per game | 0.2 |
These are figures for that particular competition entry, rather than totals for her entire playing career. Keeping that distinction clear gives readers a useful measure of her European experience without overstating what the statistics cover.
Teaching Basketball to Young Children
After playing, de Fautereau became involved in youth basketball at Entente Le Chesnay Versailles 78 Basket, commonly abbreviated ELCVB. A February 2025 feature in the Le Chesnay-Rocquencourt municipal magazine described roughly two decades of her involvement with children aged five to nine.
Club president Philippe Pham credited her as one of the people who helped the club obtain its École française de mini-basket recognition in 2006. The magazine also described both her and Félix Wembanyama as longstanding educators at the club. Her coaching therefore reached beyond her own children into the local basketball community.
One detail from Victor’s agent adds a personal example. In SLAM’s 2022 profile, Bouna Ndiaye recalled that de Fautereau had coached his son when the boy was five. Although he had known Victor’s parents for years, they had never promoted their son to him as a prospect. Ndiaye eventually watched Victor play at a tournament when he was 14.
How She Introduced Victor Wembanyama to Basketball
Victor’s first encounters with basketball happened within his mother’s working life. SLAM described him following her around the gym during his early childhood as she coached youth teams. The sport was part of his surroundings before it became his profession.
That familiarity did not mean basketball was his only childhood activity. He also played football, including as a goalkeeper, tried judo, and spent time participating in athletics. His father helped him understand running technique, bringing experience from his own track-and-field background.
Supporting His Development While Giving Him Space
Victor has distinguished his mother’s introduction to basketball from the specialist coaching involved in his later development. In a 2022 EuroLeague interview, reproduced by Basket Europe, he explained that she taught very young children and did not train him for performance. He described her as understanding when a parent should step back from a child’s sporting path.
The distinction matters when describing her influence. Introducing a child to a game, supporting that child, and directing an elite athlete’s training are different responsibilities. Victor’s account presents a mother who understood basketball but also recognised the value of allowing him to develop independently.
Basketball Across Three Generations
De Fautereau came from a basketball family herself. Her father, Michel de Fautereau, played for Paris University Club in the French first division during the 1960s. Her mother, Marie Christine, also played basketball. The sport connected Victor to his maternal grandparents as well as to his mother.
Her children followed their own routes into the game. Ève, the eldest, helped France win the 2017 FIBA Under-16 Women’s European Championship. Oscar, the youngest, played handball before moving into basketball, including youth competition with Nanterre. These separate sporting paths make basketball a family experience extending well beyond Victor’s achievements.
The family accompanied Victor to the 2023 NBA draft. On June 22, San Antonio selected him first overall, marking the transition from his French club career to the NBA. Photographs from the event show de Fautereau alongside Félix and their three children.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Élodie de Fautereau?
She is a French former basketball player and youth coach, and the mother of basketball players Ève, Victor, and Oscar Wembanyama.
How tall is Élodie de Fautereau?
She is commonly listed at approximately 6 feet 3 inches, equivalent to about 1.91 metres.
When was Élodie de Fautereau born?
FIBA’s player database lists her date of birth as August 12, 1971.
Which basketball club did she play for?
FIBA records identify Mosa Jambes as her club in the 1999 Ronchetti Cup, where she appeared in six games.
Did she coach Victor Wembanyama?
She helped introduce him to basketball, and a local club account places him under her supervision in mini-basket. Victor has separately explained that she did not oversee his performance training.
Conclusion
Élodie de Fautereau’s basketball story includes European competition, years of teaching children, and a family spanning several generations of players. Her place in Victor Wembanyama’s upbringing is part of that record, alongside a playing and coaching life with significance of its own.
