On 18 April, ESPN published an article titled Checkmates and closeouts: Inside the NBA's quiet chess boom, examining the growing popularity of chess among NBA players and former stars. The report describes how chess has moved from being a niche interest to a common feature of team flights, hotel lounges and off-day routines, with players increasingly drawn to the game's emphasis on planning, anticipation and decision-making.
One of the central figures in the article is Victor Wembanyama. The San Antonio star has become closely associated with chess after playing members of the public at Washington Square Park in New York late last year. Wembanyama later suggested the idea of an NBA-only chess tournament, seeing the game as a way to develop focus and strategic thinking away from basketball.
POV: You’re playing chess with @wemby on a Saturday morning in Washington Square Park ♟️🗽 pic.twitter.com/gnxdvPE69l
— NBA (@NBA) December 28, 2024
The article also points to the interest shown by Giannis Antetokounmpo and several other players across the league. For many of them, chess offers a quieter form of competition that contrasts with the physical and public nature of professional basketball. It is also something that can easily be played during travel, whether on a board, on a phone or online.
Former MVP Derrick Rose has become one of the most visible advocates for the game. After retiring, Rose organised a chess event in Las Vegas that brought together NBA players, celebrities and elite chess figures. His aim was to make chess feel more accessible and relevant to younger audiences, while also highlighting its value as a tool for concentration and critical thinking.
Dubbed Chesstival, the Las Vegas event was organised a few days before the start of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam stage in "Sin City" - that tournament was won by Levon Aronian, who defeated Hans Niemann in the Grand Final.
Freestyle Chess published a video recap of the NBA event, which also featured none other than Magnus Carlsen:
The ESPN piece argues that there are clear similarities between basketball and chess. Offensive systems, defensive rotations and late-game decisions all require players to think ahead and anticipate how opponents will react. Coaches have long compared basketball to chess, but more players are now experiencing the game directly and finding that it reinforces habits they already need on the court.
The report suggests that what was once a hidden interest among a small number of players is gradually becoming part of NBA culture more broadly.
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