[Fader] When patrons walk into San Antonio’s Central Library… just to the right of the circulation desk… are some of San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama’s favorite books… Cate Prazak, a librarian… created two reading lists for what the SAPL is calling the “Read Like Wemby” campaign.
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7301363/2026/05/25/read-like-wemby-spurs-books-san-antonio-library/
Turquoise, pink and orange words mount an exhibit of books immediately noticeable when patrons walk into San Antonio’s Central Library, the bright red building in the middle of the city’s downtown: “Read Like Wemby.”
Just to the right of the circulation desk, where people can sign up for a library card and check out books, are some of San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama’s favorite books. Many nod to his love for science fiction and fantasy literature. Some of the books on display include “Yumi and the Nightmare Painter” by Brandon Sanderson, one of Wembanyama’s favorite authors, as well as “The Witch of Whispervale” by R.A. Salvatore and “The Eye of the World” by Robert Jordan.
Cate Prazak, a librarian at the Central branch who celebrated the Spurs’ 2014 title in the streets, created two reading lists for what the SAPL is calling the “Read Like Wemby” campaign.
One of the lists on the SAPL’s website is of print books Wembanyama has been seen reading and related fantasy and science fiction books inspired by his reading habits. Another is a list of titles on Libby, the free e-book and audiobook app. There are about 50 titles collectively across both platforms.
https://mysapl.bibliocommons.com/v2/list/display/1368710057/3022652222
“Library people, we’ve been paying attention to those moments,” said Scott Williams, SAPL’s marketing manager. “We just love the fact that there’s this NBA star, this international superstar right in our own backyard, who also happens to be a voracious reader.
“To work for a library in a city where somebody who is that publicly supportive of what reading and literacy can mean for someone is really inspirational.”
Nearly 160 copies of the books, physical and electronic, have been checked out or placed on hold since the start of the campaign. The most popular is “Alchemised” by SenLinYu, a 1,040-page, genre-bending novel that centers on a former alchemist recovering from the memories of a civil war, which has the most holds on it as a direct result of the campaign.
Though Wembanyama has not participated in the campaign, the SAPL hopes he might eventually. The goal is to inspire people of all ages, especially children, to read more. It shows that someone can be one of the best basketball players in the world and also love reading. They want the world to know that reading is cool. Wemby is cool. Science fiction and fantasy and world-building and magic are cool.