Just when you thought Victor Wembanyama’s ceiling was too high, the otherworldly phenom found another way to raise it, this time showing off his ability to think, rather than just play the game.
Oh, you thought this was about basketball?
Well as it turns out, chess and basketball aren’t all that different. Both are played on hardwood, both feature push-and-pull tactical manoeuvres, and apparently Wembanyama is passionate about both.
The San Antonio Spurs superstar-in-the-making took some time off from the busy NBA schedule to show off some skills on a different kind of hardwood, taking on challengers in New York’s Washington Square Park in some friendly games of chess.
It came out of nowhere. Prior to last night, Wembanyama hadn’t sent out a tweet in over four months, but something deeper compelled him to ask social media where the best spots to play chess in NYC are.
Then, on a rainy Saturday morning, less than 12 hours after his Spurs beat the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center, Wembanyama took to the streets, telling fans to come test their might against him in chess.
Many wondered if he would actually show up, or if they’d be able to spot him among the many chess players in the much-frequented Washington Square Park, but standing at seven-foot-five, well, he’s sort of hard to miss. Even sitting down playing, it’s apparent that he’s not built like any other man to walk this Earth.
Pair his one-of-a-kind frame and knack for stuffing shots at the rim with a tactical game sense developed from the game of chess, it’s just unfair, but that’s a problem for the rest of the league.
The 20-year-old is currently the odds-on favourite to win defensive player of the year and is leading the league in blocks per game with an outstanding 4.0 a night.
Who would’ve thought his affinity for protecting the paint would translate to protecting the king?