Overview

• More than 400 athletes—approximately 280 basketball players and 150 chess competitors—participated in the inaugural Hoop Gambit on July 20 at the Gymnase Pierre-Curvat in Le Chesnay.
• The one-day event featured 3×3 and one-on-one basketball tournaments alongside a seven-round chess competition, blending physical competition with strategic play.
• Victor Wembanyama observed the matches after being sidelined since February by a shoulder thrombosis and recently cleared by the Spurs to resume team training.
• Organizers and participants highlighted the tournament’s role in demonstrating chess’s mental benefits for athletes and dismantling elitist perceptions of the game.
• Building on the success of the first edition, Wembanyama has announced plans for a subsequent Hoop Gambit as he continues his rehabilitation.