Estimated read time2 min read
Victor Wembanyama is looking to win his first NBA Championship, but basketball isn’t the only thing on his mind. In fact, going to and from games, Wembanyama—also called Wemby—is often spoted carrying a book.
On Instagram, @wembybooks tracks the books he brings to each game by zooming in on the photos:
Wembanyama is an avid fantasy reader, and has said the genre is “the one thing that allows me, more than [TV] series, more than anything, to escape from the real world.” He’s a big fan of Brandon Sanderson’s books, he says, “to really escape from reality and the pressure, expectations, responsibilities that I have. Sanderson is everything I look for when I read.” Wemby added, “I love how deep, how thought out Sanderson’s worlds are. I’m sure there are people who have studied his worlds that know more than him.”
For his part, Sanderson said, “When you get a basketball star who also loves reading, I think it does so much for the world. I really like the idea that human beings can love so many different things and so many different things are a part of our makeup. You don’t have to be one or the other. Love what you love. Any time we’re gatekeeping certain people, we’re doing a disservice to both the people and the passions that we have.”
Earlier this year, the San Antonio Public Library launched a “Read Like Wemby” campaign—featuring some of Wemby’s favorite books. If you, too, want to read like Wemby, here are some books to start with (he frequently reads the French versions, as he is a native French speaker):
Headshot of Emily Burack
Emily Burack (she/her) is the Deputy Digital Editor for Town & Country, where she covers entertainment, celebrities, the royals, and a wide range of other topics. Before joining T&C, she was the deputy managing editor at Hey Alma, a Jewish culture site. Follow her @emburack on Instagram, Twitter, and other social media platforms.