5 Books All Athletes Should Read
Not all of these books have something to do with sports, but they all will help you to better understand yourself and the world around you.
If you decide to read one (or all of them), let us know which one you liked best.
Enjoy!
1. Atomic Habits
Buy the book here or at your local bookstore.
Atomic Habits by James Clear is a powerful blueprint for personal transformation, showing how small, consistent changes compound into remarkable results over time. With clear frameworks and actionable advice, it’s a must-read for anyone looking to build better habits and break bad ones.
Plus, James Clear is a former NCAA Division Athlete. He played D3 college baseball at Denison University in Ohio.
2. The Affluent Investor
Buy the book here or at your local bookstore.
A few weeks back we went to cover the D3 Men’s Basketball Final 4 and the D3 All-Star game featuring graduating seniors. During and after the game we spoke with a number of the seniors and the most common question we got was this:
“Any personal investing tips?”
While we are not a financial advisor, this is not financial advice, and you should 100% do your own research before investing in anything…we often suggest recent grads start with this book. Why?
The Affluent Investor by Phil DeMuth is easy to read and offers actionable advice on how to keep cost low and keep your investment focus simple (but effective).
It offers a no-nonsense, data-driven guide to managing wealth with clarity and discipline, tailored for high earners (or future high-earners) who want to make smart, long-term financial decisions.
3. The Underdog Mentality
Buy the book here
Another book written by a former D3 Baseball player, this time Tyler O’Shea from McDaniel College. Learn more about Tyler’s journey from underdog to All-Conference Standout:
Listen to our full podcast interview with Tyler O’Shea
Tyler wrote this book while working a full-time job and then self-published on Amazon! D3 Athletes are just different 💪
D3Direct's 2022 Book Recommendations
The last time we did a book recommendations list was 2022, but all 5 of these are still must reads for college athletes:
4. Chop Wood, Carry Water
Buy the book here or at your local bookstore.
Chop Wood, Carry Water by Joshua Medcalf is a motivational parable that reminds readers of the power of consistency, humility, and grit on the journey to mastery. Through simple storytelling, it delivers profound life lessons that resonate well beyond the world of sports or business.
Every year when we ask our followers on Twitter (X) for book recommendations, this one is guaranteed to show up. We have not read it yet, but it is on our Summer reading list!
5. Pipeline to the Pros
Buy the book here or at your local bookstore
‘Pipeline to the Pros’ by Ben Kaplan, is a great read for all #D3Hoops fans.
It’s co-authored by a former D3 athlete & details how D3, small-college nobodies rose to rule the NBA. You will likely recognize the teams that a number of these former D3 athletes are currently running - many are competing in this year’s NBA playoffs:
Sam Presti - OKC Thunder
Brad Stevens - Boston Celtics
Rafael Stone - Houston Rockets
Among others
Listen to our full podcast interview with Ben Kaplan
Thanks for Reading!
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All the best,
-D3Direct