Victor Wembanyama says his friend has been found after missing flight from Chicago to France
Following their game against the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday, San Antonio Spurs superstar, Victor Wembanyama, announced that his missing longtime friend, Elijah Hoard, had been found after he missed his flight from Chicago to France.
Though Chicago police also announced that Hoard had been found in a news bulletin, there wasn’t enough information regarding how the 23-year-old was eventually tracked down, per TMZ.
“I’m so happy,” Wembanyama, 22, said in reference to his friend’s being found. “We’ve been close for a long time, his family and mine. And we always think it happens to others, that was the first time I saw this case for a close person. I’m very relieved.”
Wembanyama, who is also from France, expressed his gratitude to everyone who shared information about his friend’s disappearance in a subsequent post on social media.
“Elijah has been found safe!” the 22-year-old quoted on a video post of him confirming that Hoard had been found. “Thank you to everyone who shared the information. You all played a part in this,” he added.
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Following Hoard’s disappearance, Wembanyama took to social media on Monday to urge people who may have had information about his missing friend’s whereabouts to contact local authorities. He also tagged popular sports personalities in Chicago in an effort to gain as much traction as possible.
Hoard was supposed to leave Chicago and return to France after being in the city for 10 days. But he failed to check in for his flight after he arrived at the airport, TMZ reported.
“Everything seemed pretty normal the first eight days, but the last two days his whole mood had swung, and he was really adamant about not going back home, and he didn’t want to go home,” Hoard’s father, Antwon Hoard, said.
On Tuesday, Wembanyama posted an update where surveillance footage captured Hoard in Rosemont, Illinois, which is a suburb near Chicago O’Hare International Airport. That was before his friend was tracked down.
Elijah has been found safe!
Thank you to everyone who shared the information. You all played a part in this. ???????????????? https://t.co/IPeXRCubkc— Wemby (@wemby) March 4, 2026
