Books are a part of Wemby’s routine, and it caught Jokic and Gilgeous-Alexander’s attention.
SAN ANTONIO — San Antonio Spurs‘ Victor Wembanyama turns heads on the court, especially with the opposition.
Whether it is his stifling defense at the rim with his league-leading 3.8 blocks per game or his ability to knock down the three-point shot (35%), he’s certainly a handful on the court.
But off the court, he enjoys the simple things; one is the joy of reading books.
Before every game, the Spurs center reads some pages in the book he is glued to and resumes after the game.
It’s not uncommon for him to have a book lying inside his locker, and that passion caught the eyes of a pair of his All-Star Team Chuck teammates.
“I heard he reads a lot. That’s cool. It’s rare to see from a guy so young. Interesting guy,” said the Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Wemby isn’t shy about his love of books, particularly science fiction.
“One of my hobbies happens to be reading fantasy books,” Wembanyama told Sporting News. “It’s the one thing that allows me, more than [TV] series, more than anything, to escape from the real world.”
Reading is just part of his routine, so much so that he walked into the locker room for his first NBA All-Star Game with a book in hand, catching the attention of his All-Star teammate, Denver’s Nikola Jokic.
“You really brought a book,” Jokic asked Wemby in disbelief.
“Yeah! I read before every game,” Wemby responded to the NBA MVP.
Books, as a part of his daily routine, weren’t the only thing that garnered Gilgeous-Alexander’s attention.
“I heard he goes to bed at 9:00,” he added.
For the Spurs (and the NBA), he is proving himself to be a worthy heir to the face of the league.
He does it all on the court, is a global star and dominant force, and sets an excellent example for the next generation of NBA stars.
“Competitive, smart, like an interesting guy,” said Gilgeous-Alexander.