NBA’s Victor Wembanyama plays chess with fans in New York City park

NEW YORK — Victor Wembanyama played 1-on-1 with fans at a park in New York City on Saturday. Last season’s NBA rookie of the year even lost a couple of games.

But instead of basketball, Wemby was playing chess.

The San Antonio Spurs were still in New York after losing to the Knicks on Christmas and then defeating the Nets. So Wembanyama put out a call on social media before the team’s flight to Minnesota. 

“Who wants to meet me at the SW corner of Washington Square park to play chess? Im there,” Wembanyama wrote.

People began showing up almost immediately after it was posted at 9:36 a.m. on X. 

Wemby plays chess in NYC’s Washington Square Park

Washington Square Park is a known place for playing chess in New York. Bobby Fischer and others have famously played there, and it’s been a spot used for multiple movie scenes featuring the game.

Wembanyama was there for roughly an hour in the rain, from about 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. He played four games, winning two and losing two before leaving to catch the Spurs’ flight.

Wembanyama had been trying to get somewhere to play chess for the bulk of the Spurs’ time in New York, but the schedule didn’t align until Saturday morning. And even with bad weather, he bundled up to make it happen.

Wemby posed for photos with about two dozen people who showed up and braved a morning of cold rain to play chess with one of the NBA’s biggest 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 trip was over.

Wembanyama set the Spurs’ record with 42 points on Christmas, adding 18 rebounds, four assists and four blocks in the game against the Knicks. 

He is averaging 25.2 points and 10.1 rebounds this season, his second in the NBA after winning rookie of the year last season.