Victor Wembanyama's chess opponent breaks silence on his match
12/31/2024 03:50 PM
San Antonio Spurs big man Victor Wembanyama made headlines when he recently spent some time playing chess in New York City, while there on a road trip. Wemby was seen at New York’s famous Washington Square Park, sitting in front of a chess board and making moves.
One of his opponents is now opening up about the experience. Max Haskell sat down with Wemby on a cold New York morning to play a game. Haskell was impressed by Wemby’s prowess with the chess board.
“He was decent! Would estimate he has a 1000-1100 ELO on Chess.com,” Haskell said, per Impersonal Foul.
Haskell admitted to the outlet that he, and not Wembanyama, won the match. The chess player was also asked if Wembanyama is a better chess player than basketball player.
“Sadly not (he’s human!), but he clearly has the willpower to improve his game. Might be tough for him to find the time, though,” he added.
Wembanyama is frequently seen talking and interacting with fans. It is rare to see a NBA star playing chess in public with regular people.
Washington Square Park is a famous spot in lower Manhattan, that attracts some of the best chess players in the world to play.
Victor Wembanyama is having an amazing season once again with the Spurs
Wembanyama was in the New York City area to play both the Knicks and Nets, as well as the chess opponents. The Spurs star had a huge game on Christmas Day against the Knicks, pouring in 42 points in a losing effort.
The Spurs center is averaging a double-double this season. He’s scoring 25.5 points a game this season while grabbing 10 rebounds a contest. He leads the Spurs in scoring, rebounding and blocks.
San Antonio is having a promising season with Wembanyama leading the way. The club is 16-16 on the season and trying to string some wins together. Last year, the Spurs struggled to get wins in Wemby’s rookie season. San Antonio finished the year with a 22-60 record.
It will be interesting to see if Wembanyama spends any more time playing chess this season while on the road, or at home. Haskell says he hopes the two cross paths once again.
“I look forward to hosting him for the rematch,” he said.
The Spurs next play the L.A. Clippers on Tuesday, at 7:00 Eastern. Los Angeles is 19-13 on the campaign.
The post Victor Wembanyama’s chess opponent breaks silence on his match appeared first on ClutchPoints.
