Victor Wembanyama went to a park in New York Metropolis and performed 1-on-1 with followers on Saturday. He even misplaced a few video games.
Not in basketball, although.
Wemby was enjoying chess. And this wasn’t on a whim: He is aware of find out how to play and even introduced his personal chess set.
Earlier than the San Antonio Spurs left New York for a flight to Minnesota, Wembanyama put out the decision on social media: “Who wants to meet me at the SW corner of Washington Square park to play chess? Im there,” Wembanyama wrote.
It was 9:36 a.m. Folks started displaying up virtually instantly.
Washington Sq. Park is a recognized spot for chess in New York — Bobby Fischer amongst others have famously performed there, and it has been used for a number of film scenes that includes the sport.
Wembanyama was there for an hour within the rain, from about 10-11 a.m. He performed 4 video games, successful two and dropping two — he informed Bleacher Report afterward that each of the losses had been to skilled chess gamers — earlier than departing to catch the Spurs’ flight.
Wembanyama had been attempting to get someplace to play chess for the majority of the group’s time in New York — the Spurs performed the Knicks on Christmas and gained at Brooklyn on Friday evening. The schedule by no means aligned, till Saturday morning. And even with dangerous climate, he bundled as much as make it occur.
He posed for photographs with a few dozen individuals who confirmed up, braving a morning of chilly rain to play chess with one of many NBA’s largest stars.
“We need an NBA players only Chess tournament, proceeds go to the charity of choice of the winner,” he wrote on social media after his chess journey was over.
Wembanyama is averaging 25.2 factors and 10.1 rebounds this season, his second within the NBA after successful rookie of the yr final season. The Spurs play at Minnesota on Sunday.
