Read by LeBron James, Daniel Ek, Pharrell Williams and 8 others
What books does LeBron James recommend?
Spotted with a book in the locker room during playoff runs, LeBron James is a famously visible reader whose book recommendations carry the weight of the NBA's all-time leading scorer and a four-time champion. His 12 picks are drawn mostly from press conferences and interviews, including Oprah's Next Chapter, alongside social-media endorsements and one book-cover blurb. Biography and memoir, society and politics, and fiction shape the list, which ranges from teammates' memoirs to dystopian novels. His signature pick is Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist, which he ties to self-belief: "The whole thing about empowerment of yourself and having your visions become a reality... that was one of the one things I got out of it." He has described reading Suzanne Collins's The Hunger Games as a way to decompress before games, and championed The Autobiography of Malcolm X for its enduring relevance.
Last updated January 2026 · Every recommendation cited to its original source.
The Alchemist
A Fable About Following Your Dream
byPaulo Coelho
2014208 Pages(3,580,036)
“The whole thing about empowerment of yourself and having your visions become a reality and the more and more that you dream and actually talk about something that you want to do, it can become true... That was one of the one things I got out of it.”
— LeBron James
Source: NBA Press Conference (May 2018)
bySuzanne Collins
2008374 Pages“For me, it's relaxing honestly. You spend so much preparation for the games, sometimes you just need to get away from it for a little bit. The reading has helped me get away from the game a little bit, and I'm able zero in once I'm done and get ready for the games.”
— LeBron James
Source: NBA Playoffs Locker Room Interview (2012)
byJay-Z
2010336 Pages“I'm reading Decoded, the Jay-Z book. It's great.”
— LeBron James
Source: Oprah's Next Chapter Interview (2012)
Read by LeBron James
The Pact
Three Young Men Make a Promise and Fulfill a Dream
bySampson Davis, George Jenkins, Rameck Hunt
2002272 Pages“I read The Pact about the doctors out of New Jersey... I've read a few books.”
— LeBron James
Source: Oprah's Next Chapter Interview (2012)
Read by LeBron James
Living with a SEAL
31 Days Training with the Toughest Man on the Planet
byJesse Itzler
2015272 Pages“It's hilarious.”
— LeBron James
Source: Book Cover Endorsement
Read by LeBron James
A Father First
How My Life Became Bigger Than Basketball
byDwyane Wade
2012368 Pages“Make sure y'all go grab my brother Dwyane Wade's book up today!”
— LeBron James
Source: Twitter Post (September 2012)
Read by LeBron James
byVeronica Roth
2011487 PagesSource: Interview with Rachel Nichols (2015 Playoffs)
The Autobiography of Malcolm X
As Told to Alex Haley
byMalcolm X, Alex Haley
1992544 Pages“A very, very smart man... his words in the 60s and what was going on is actually what's going on today still. Him understanding how powerful the negro can be... he used that word a lot... but we have to unite.”
— LeBron James
Source: NBA Press Conference (August 2020)
byDoris Kearns Goodwin
2018473 PagesSource: NBA Press Conference (May 2018)
Read by LeBron James, Chip Wilson, Kobe Bryant and 2 others
The Tipping Point
How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference
byMalcolm Gladwell
2000301 PagesSource: Reported 2015 Playoff Reading List
Read by LeBron James
byJerry West, Jonathan Coleman
2011338 PagesSource: Reported 2015 Playoff Reading List
Read by LeBron James
byAmy Schumer
2016336 Pages“Go get it ASAP.”
— LeBron James
Source: Official Social Media Endorsement
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Frequently asked questions
What books does LeBron James recommend?
His 12 recommendations include The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, Decoded by Jay-Z, The Pact by Sampson Davis and co-authors, and The Autobiography of Malcolm X, spanning fiction, memoir, and social history.
What is LeBron James's favorite book?
A top pick is Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist. James says the novel taught him that "the more and more that you dream and actually talk about something that you want to do, it can become true."
Why does LeBron James read during the playoffs?
He has described reading as a way to decompress. Of The Hunger Games he said, "For me, it's relaxing honestly... The reading has helped me get away from the game a little bit, and I'm able zero in once I'm done."
Where do LeBron James's book recommendations come from?
They come largely from NBA press conferences and playoff interviews, his Oprah's Next Chapter appearance, and his social-media endorsements, plus a cover endorsement for Jesse Itzler's Living with a SEAL.
Has LeBron James written a book?
Yes. He is credited on Shooting Stars (2009), the memoir chronicling his high-school basketball years in Akron with his childhood teammates.
All 12 Books LeBron James Has Recommended
- The Alchemist · Paulo Coelho
- The Hunger Games · Suzanne Collins
- Decoded · Jay-Z
- The Pact · Sampson Davis
- Living with a SEAL · Jesse Itzler
- A Father First · Dwyane Wade
- Divergent · Veronica Roth
- The Autobiography of Malcolm X · Malcolm X
- Leadership: In Turbulent Times · Doris Kearns Goodwin
- The Tipping Point · Malcolm Gladwell
- West by West: My Charmed, Tormented Life · Jerry West
- The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo · Amy Schumer