Professional athletes are now joining the popular trend of book clubs, along with musicians, influencers, actors, and broadcasters. In the NBA, San Antonio Spurs players Victor Wembanyama and Harrison Barnes have initiated a book club and are encouraging more team members to participate. Similarly, the NHL’s San Jose Sharks have a book club involving players like Will Smith, Macklin Celebrini, Tyler Toffoli, and Ty Dellandrea, who humorously keep their reading choices a secret.
Not only in the NBA and NHL, but book clubs have also become a bonding activity for athletes in the PWHL and the WNBA, including teams like Toronto Sceptres, Montreal Victoire, Toronto Tempo, and New York Liberty. Toronto Sceptres forward Claire Dalton, who previously played for the Montreal Victoire, introduced a book club to the team in Toronto, starting it with the team’s goalie Raygan Kirk. The Sceptres’ book club discussions are fueled by various book prompts from Google and Reddit, featuring titles like “Gone Before Goodbye” and “The Heir Apparent.”
In the WNBA, the Toronto Tempo’s book club, inspired by player Kia Nurse and her teammate Nyara Sabally, aims to enhance team chemistry. Nurse emphasized the importance of friendship in sports and how a book club can foster team unity. The Tempo’s first book club selection was the thriller “It Should Have Been You” by Andrea Mara, and their discussions often take place during team travels.
For athletes like Nurse, reading serves as a perfect escape from the pressures of sports and allows them to explore different identities beyond athletics. The impact of these sports team book clubs has resonated well with fans, leading to increased social media engagement and community involvement. The Toronto Sceptres’ book club initiative even sparked a collaboration with The Children’s Book Bank, where players engaged with children through reading events, promoting literacy and diverse reading role models.
