Chess and the NBA are not exactly a common duo, are they? But believe it or not, basketball’s relationship with chess goes way back. Wilt Chamberlain once played an all-night chess match with Bobby Fischer. Klay Thompson and Luka Doncic? Big-time chess fans. And now? Derrick Rose is officially part of the club. If you watched Rose back in his Simeon days, you know his speed, fearlessness, and pure athleticism made him a crowd favorite. Going to Chicago? A perfect fit. He gave Bulls fans real hope for the first time since the Jordan era. And now? Turns out he’s not just a killer on the court, he’s a chess enthusiast too.

Back in 2023, Rose even dreamed up a high-stakes chess tournament called “Chesstival”. It never happened, but the chess world definitely took notice. The very next year, and with his NBA career winding down, his love for chess was louder than ever. Even before stepping away from basketball, he was already pushing the game. And now, it’s very clear from his latest Instagram feed. 

The Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour 2025 has kicked off in Weissenhaus (February 7-14) with its next stop being Paris. The event will run from April 7 to 14. And Rose? He’s waiting for it. He shared a pic of the 12 big names headlining the event: Magnus Carlsen, Hikaru Nakamura, Fabiano Caruana, and the reigning champ, Dommaraju Gukesh. The hype is real, and Rose made sure to add to it. He wrote, “Can’t wait to see what happens this time! Freestyle Chess is the best once again. Every other league has been MUNDANE 😂🤣😂” 

Now, you see, while the NBA has been struggling with a 5% year-over-year drop in viewership, Rose is out here hyping another sport entirely. A little weird? Maybe. But if you check his Instagram, dude is all in. This story proved that D-Rose is a die-hard fan of chess. And honestly? Watching him hype up chess like this is kind of amazing.

Derrick Rose and his undying obsession with the game of kings

Derrick Rose, he’s been deep in the game for a while. He’s often talked about how chess has sharpened his mental approach and even changed the way he sees life. Back in January, during an interview with SLAM, he dropped a little teaser:

“I’ve also been playing a lot of chess and hopefully somewhere down the line within the next couple of weeks, I’ll ink a chess deal [and] you’ll be hearing about it pretty soon.”

Well, that deal? It’s “Chesstival”, his very own chess event. Set to take place at Resorts World in Las Vegas during the NBA Summer League, Chesstival is shaping up to be something special. While details are still under wraps, the official website promises appearances from top athletes, musicians, and other notable chess aficionados.

So, who’s showing up? That’s anyone’s guess. But one thing’s for sure. D-Rose leading the charge makes this way bigger than average chess tournament. For now, all we can do is wait and see how it all unfolds.