NBA legend Tony Parker is the primary participant confirmed to be enjoying within the 2021 World Series of Poker fundamental occasion.
According to a report from Yahoo! Sports, the four-time NBA champion received a charity poker occasion run by The PM Group in January. By taking down the charity occasion, the previous level guard earned a seat within the $10,000 buy-in occasion this fall.
“He is very excited to play the main event for the first time,” WSOP director Gregory Chochon informed the San Antonio Express-News. “Because of his career, he never had the time to participate but he is ready for the challenge. We always promote poker as a sport, so Tony’s qualification is great news!”
Parker performed practically twenty years within the NBA, nearly totally with the San Antonio Spurs. He was a first-round draft choose of the Spurs in 2001 and performed with the group by means of the tip of the 2018 season. He performed with the Charlotte Hornets for the 2018-2019 season earlier than retiring. He was an NBA All-Star choice six occasions and was the NBA Finals MVP in 2007.
While there is no such thing as a official document of Parker enjoying poker at any aggressive stage and doesn’t have a recorded match money, the NBA is stuffed with poker fanatics.
Golden State Warriors minority proprietor Chamath Palihapitiya is well-known for dipping his toes into high-stakes money video games and is nice buddies with 15-time WSOP bracelet winner Phil Hellmuth. Palihapitiya has three cashes in WSOP occasions and was even gifted Hellmuth’s thirteenth bracelet.
Hellmuth additionally coached David Lee, a 12-year NBA veteran who spent a very good chunk of his profession in a Warriors uniform. In December 2019, Warriors taking pictures guard Klay Thompson stated that he acquired “killed” in group poker video games and that the roster was stuffed with card sharks.
NBA Hall of Famer Paul Pierce has been part of the high-stakes poker world for fairly a while, as effectively. Pierce held the chip lead on Day 2 of the 2013 WSOP $10,000 pot-limit Omaha championship and fell just some spots shy of a money within the 2014 fundamental occasion.
He not too long ago misplaced his job as a basketball analyst for ESPN after he posted raunchy movies on social media from a house sport.
The 2021 WSOP can be held this fall from Sept. 30 by means of Nov. 23. The fundamental occasion will run Nov. 4 by means of Nov. 17.
