{"id":30802,"date":"2025-07-29T20:34:07","date_gmt":"2025-07-29T20:34:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/30802\/"},"modified":"2025-07-29T20:34:07","modified_gmt":"2025-07-29T20:34:07","slug":"nba-star-victor-wembanyama-makes-big-off-court-announcement-on-tuesday","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/30802\/","title":{"rendered":"NBA Star Victor Wembanyama Makes Big Off-Court Announcement on Tuesday"},"content":{"rendered":"

SAN ANTONIO \u2014 If there were any similarities to draw between basketball and chess, San Antonio Spurs<\/a> star Victor Wembanyama found them all.<\/p>\n

Between his “spectacularly simple” <\/a>play style and his yearning to learn beyond the bounds of the sport, the Frenchman finds equal enjoyment in both activities. In July, he shared that with the rest of his hometown in Le Chesnay, France.<\/p>\n

“First edition of Hoop Gambit was a success,” Wembanyama wrote on Instagram. “One hundred fifty chess players, 300-plus hoopers. In my hometown, few minutes from where I grew up.”<\/p>\n

The first-annual “Hoop Gambit” was a cross between chess and basketball, with tournaments slated in both categories. Beyond Wembanyama’s participation, several big-name chess players and Minnesota Timberwolves star Rudy Gobert made the late-July trip.<\/p>\n

Victor Wembanyama’s Hoop Gambit has had a crazy turnout of chess fans \ud83d\udd25\ud83d\udd25 @wemby<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/lV07IWoeBs<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Chess.com (@chesscom) July 20, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

Wembanyama had plenty to thank before making another announcement.<\/p>\n

“Thank you to the city of Le Chesnay and the volunteer workers who helped achieve this project,” he wrote. “Thank you to my partners, Nike and Chess.com<\/a>, for supporting me. This is just the beginning, we\u2019re going to do it bigger and even better next year.”<\/p>\n

No official date has been set for the second-annual Hoop Gambit, but assuming Wembanyama finds the same time he did this offseason preparing for what will be his fourth season next summer, perhaps Gobert will make another appearance.<\/p>\n

He might not be the only other NBA star next time.<\/p>\n

Mailbag: Who’s in Starting Lineup? Wembanyama, Offseason, More<\/a><\/p>\n

Biggest Key for Summer Spurs in Vegas? Starters ‘Showing Up’<\/a><\/p>\n

Where Does Spurs’ Roster Stand After Kelly Olynyk Signing?<\/a><\/p>\n