The best sports audiobooks to get you into the game

Straddling the sports, history, and biography genres at once, The Boys in the Boat is the incredible true story of the University of Washington rowing team, an unlikely group of blue-collar boys whose string of first-place wins against elite university teams elevated them from obscurity to national fame. The surprising success of the underdog crew made them American icons—but when the team entered the 1936 Olympics and began preparing to row against the German crew competing for Hitler, they became an international sensation. Masterfully performed by actor Edward Herrmann, this audiobook transports listeners directly to the sidelines of each race, rooting with the United States for the boys in the boat.

Lamar Odom, renowned for his years on the two-time NBA world champion Los Angeles Lakers and his connection to the Kardashian clan, relays his personal journey in this raw and revealing autobiography. Odom narrates not just the electrifying story of his career but also the darker side of his meteoric rise to fame, delving into difficulties such as drug addiction and life-threatening medical issues. While this listen is an excellent choice for his fans, even those with little prior knowledge of Odom's story will find themselves engrossed in layers of social and cultural commentary on the American sports industry, the phenomenon of fame, and how far one can—or should—push oneself under pressure.

In 1964, fresh out of business school with just a $50 loan from his dad, Phil Knight started a small business selling imported sneakers from the trunk of his car. Today, that small business is worth more than $30 billion and boasts perhaps the most recognizable logo in the world: the Nike swoosh. An absorbing listen for sports and business enthusiasts alike, Shoe Dog is a stirring narrative of what it takes to build a global brand—and the risks, setbacks, and successes that happen along the way. Tony Award-winning actor Norbert Leo Butz provides dynamic narration that creates an air of suspense, crafting an engrossing corporate drama that weaves through the many ups and downs of the Nike story.

In this tale of impressive athleticism, author Christopher McDougall recounts stories of the Tarahumara—an all but hidden tribe of indigenous Mexicans who for centuries have practiced the seemingly impossible feat of running for hundreds of miles at a time without rest. Traveling to the deadly Copper Canyon in the tribe’s native state of Chihuahua, the author meets the mysterious and solitary Caballo Blanco, an outsider who lives among the tribe, and begins studying the ways of the Tarahumara, hoping to become an ultramarathoner himself. Blending engrossing narratives with scientific research on just how much the human body can achieve, Born to Run is at once a fascinating cultural study, colorful travel memoir, and inspiring athletic journal, all brought to life by Fred Sanders’s excellent and easy-to-follow narration.

Open-water swimmer Diana Nyad set records in her 20s by swimming around the entirety of the island of Manhattan. At the peak of her career, Nyad first undertook the 111-mile swim from Cuba to Florida—and was blown off course after 42 hours. Crushed by several failed attempts, Nyad remained on land for more than 30 years before deciding, at age 64, to try the swim from Cuba to Miami one final time. In 2013, she once again stunned the world as she emerged onto the sands of Key West after 53 hours, becoming the first in the world to accomplish the shark-infested trip without the help of a cage. Written and narrated by Nyad herself, Find a Way is the swimmer’s first-person account of her experiences, from massive success to crushing defeat, and how she made it back to the top after years of inactivity. Whether you prefer dry land or the deep blue sea, this incredibly emotional story will resonate with anyone who’s ever faced adversity.

Fantasy sports have become an exciting supplement to the games we watch in the stadium or on the screen—at times making an even bigger impact on a fan’s life than the sport itself. But it hasn’t always been that way, and if there’s one person who has been present to witness fantasy’s full evolution from cult hobby to international pastime, it’s ESPN’s Senior Fantasy Sports Analyst, Matthew Berry. Fantasy Life is Berry’s rich profile of the many characters that make up the fantasy community, vividly told through stories of wild draft-day antics, hilarious trash-talk tales, crushing humiliations, and more. Recommended by fantasy fans such as Seth Meyers and Dale Earnhardt Jr., Berry’s audiobook (which he narrates himself in the quick-as-a-whip delivery unique to sportscasters) is a gleeful victory lap on a full fantasy career that will land both with players and curious onlookers hoping to learn just what all the fantasy fuss is about.

In his first-ever authorized audiobook, NASCAR champion Dale Earnhardt Jr. narrates his life’s journey through wins, losses, injury, recovery, and his never-ending drive to race. But Racing to the Finish is not simply the autobiography of one of NASCAR’s most well-known racers; it is an intimate telling of how Earnhardt coped with serious concussions that took him away from racing. As he dealt with the pressure to recover quickly, Earnhardt faced the possibility that his injuries could impede his ability to live a long and fulfilling life. Sharing his story with the help of expert narrator Gabe Wicks, Earnhardt divulges how his loved ones helped him recover his health and his confidence, and how the decision to cross his final finish line was one of the most rewarding he’s ever made. The result is a striking listen that sheds light on the excruciating realities of suffering a potentially career-ending (and life-altering) injury.

Journalist, physicist, and distance runner Alex Hutchinson draws on his background in science and research for this New York Times best-selling title that gets to the bottom of how to keep going. The longtime Runner’s World columnist discloses how physical components—like muscle pain, heat, and fuel—work hand-in-hand with mental and psychological elements, and how anyone can surpass their limits when they master the art of controlling both sides of the equation. As he unearths stories of superathletes who challenged the paradigm and pushed past their limits, Hutchinson travels across the globe in search of new endurance-boosting techniques and training, finding fascinating results along the way. Featuring a foreword from Malcolm Gladwell, this audiobook combines scientific discovery and inspirational personal narrative to explore the outer limits of human potential. With clear, precise narration from veteran actor Robert G. Slade, the science behind endurance is more accessible—and fascinating—than ever.

Performed by the author herself, Katrin Davidsdottir’s autobiography illustrates just what it takes to become the Fittest Women on Earth...twice. In 2015 and 2016, Davidsdottir won the women’s CrossFit Games. In this engrossing memoir, she reveals that it’s not her successes that drive her, but rather her defeats. In Dottir, Davidsdottir describes how it was her failure to qualify for the Games in 2014 that gave her the drive and focus she needed to become a champion. Throughout, she offers valuable encouragement as well as practical insights into her nutrition and training routines. Above all else, Davidsdottir provides a firsthand look at how she stays mentally tough, making for a listen that’s sure to inspire.

Aside from his eight Grand Slam titles and Olympic gold medal, Andre Agassi is probably best known for being the first punk on the tennis court. In his fast-paced autobiography, Agassi describes how his austere high school tennis experience drove him to be a new kind of world champion—one with dyed hair, piercings, and multiple high-profile rendezvous with Hollywood starlets. Agassi’s personal account of his rise to fame, dynamically narrated by acclaimed voice actor Erik Davies, also incorporates nail-biting stories of some of his most memorable matches, like those against world champions Jimmy Connors, Pete Sampras, and Roger Federer. Revealing a fascinating athlete and an even more interesting man, Open is a colorful character study of a person who is, in more ways than most, utterly and completely unique.

In Into Thin Air, best-selling author Jon Krakauer gives a firsthand look into his trek to the summit of Mount Everest in 1996, now recognized as one of the deadliest seasons in the history of Everest climbs. Krakauer reached the peak after 57 hours without sleep and a close-to-fatal lack of oxygen. But making it to the summit was just half the battle; on his descent, the author experienced exhaustive hallucinations and hypoxia. Krakauer literally lived to tell the tale, surviving a trek (now widely known as the 1996 Mount Everest Disaster) that claimed the lives of five other climbers. Narrated by the author, this personal, painful audiobook will help listeners learn what it is that compels so many people to put aside the risks and place their lives on the line by taking on Everest.

Michael Jordan may be the most iconic basketball player, if not the most iconic athlete, in history. But until Roland Lazenby’s definitive biography, the man beneath the #23 jersey was largely a mystery. Now, listeners have an all-access account of who Jordan really is, both on and off the court. Featuring interviews with friends, family, and Jordan himself, Lazenby unearths stories of not just the star’s successes but also his struggles. The biography sheds light on his bouts with gambling as well as his fierce, borderline-frightening competitive nature. Bolstered by the vocal prowess of Audie Award-winning performer Bob Souer, Michael Jordan is a fascinating listen for sports fans and anyone who’s ever wondered what goes into the making of a living legend.

When Maria Sharapova won Wimbledon at only 17 years old, she became an overnight sensation. Her talent and rags-to-riches backstory stole the hearts of tennis fans all over the world. But when she was suspended in 2016 for taking the performance-enhancing drug meldonium, many critics thought it was the end of her career. In Unstoppable, Sharapova explains how she took this setback and turned it into an even more fervent dedication to her sport. In her own voice, the author discusses the intense training she undertook—not unlike the rigorous training she endured on the courts of her small Russian hometown—in order to bounce back and prove that she very well may be unstoppable.

Misty Copeland made history in 2007 when she became the first African-American soloist for the American Ballet Theatre. But she had already proven she was a prodigy, beginning her professional career just one year after her first experience at the barre in an after-school community dance program and rising steadily to become one of the youngest dancers in ABT's history to be promoted to soloist. In this story of the ballerina’s life, Audie-nominated narrator Lisa Reneé Pitts deftly conveys obstacles on Copeland’s path to success, from a childhood of sleeping on hotel floors with her siblings to the prejudice she experienced as the sole Black member of the ABT and the physical challenges of becoming a premiere ballet dancer. Life in Motion is a beautifully told story of passion, perseverance, and the many participants in Copeland’s life and career who helped shape her path along the way.

Muhammad Ali is one of the most notable athletes of all time. He was even named Greatest Sportsman of the Century by Sports Illustrated, and it would be hard to find an athlete more deserving of the title. But Ali’s legacy is about more than his time in the ring; he was also an iconic anti-war advocate, a poet, and an inspirational figure who forced the world to reconsider what it means to be a superathlete. Through this thoughtful audiobook, listeners will hear some of the most intimate details of the Greatest’s life. Performer Dion Graham’s cadence, tone, and enthusiasm is uncannily similar to Ali’s, making for an audio experience that truly comes alive.

Former San Francisco 49er and Super Bowl champion Steve Young traces his unusual path to success in this autobiography. Young grew up a devout Mormon, and as a child he was better known for studying Latin than for throwing a football. But a pure love of the game inspired him to make football a priority, and it paid off. Narrated with candor by the author, QB feels less like a traditional memoir and more like a conversation with an old friend. Young shares personal memories of both his struggles and victories, talking openly about the loneliness, physical exhaustion, and separation anxiety that came with his NFL career. But as his story makes clear, it was his endless pursuit to overcome these obstacles that earned him the respect and affection of fans.

Wooden: A Coach’s Life is an essential portrait of one of the most influential people ever to sit on the sidelines. In the 1960s and ‘70s, John Wooden coached 10 UCLA teams to NCAA championships in 12 seasons, making him one of the most successful coaches in the history of college basketball. But as legendary as he was, John Wooden started his journey on a small, humble farm in Indiana. As he began striving towards success, Wooden catapulted from his playing days to coaching high school teams to his dazzling career with UCLA. Written by acclaimed sports broadcaster and journalist Seth Davis and energetically performed by narrator Stephen McLaughlin, Wooden gives listeners the chance to experience a taste of the motivational spirit that Coach Wooden bestowed upon his players during his years on the bench.

Undisputed Truth is Mike Tyson’s detailed account of how he became a world-class heavyweight fighter, then rocketed to even greater fame as an international celebrity. But Tyson’s life wasn’t all limelight and luxury; in 2013, he hit rock bottom with a felony conviction and crippling substance abuse issues. In this autobiography, narrated by Joshua Henry, who maintains notes of Tyson’s own intonations and accent as tells the fighter’s story, Tyson shares how he endured this period of very public struggle with some deeply personal demons. Relying on his fighter’s instinct to refuse defeat, Tyson recounts how he painstakingly climbed one step at a time to achieve sobriety, regain control over his life, and ultimately rise again to find health, success, and happiness.

Both coaches and sports fans alike will have trouble pausing Above the Line: Lessons in Leadership and Life from a Championship Season. Written by Ohio State head football coach Urban Meyer and acclaimed sportswriter Wayne Coffey, this memoir offers invaluable insights for anyone who wants to cultivate a culture of success, starting with building strong, foundational relationships and lines of communication with one’s team. As the leader of multiple national championship teams, as well as a former student of psychology, Meyer is in a rare position to offer sound, compelling advice on leadership, motivation, and dedication. Every listener, whether they are in charge on the field or in the office, will benefit from Meyer’s thought-provoking and spirited words of wisdom—especially when conveyed in the tough, no-nonsense delivery of performer Jason Culp, who embodies Meyer’s commanding presence in every word.

Off Balance is the surprising portrait of an extraordinary athlete with a complicated past. At just 16 years old, Dominique Moceanu helped win the gold for the 1996 American women’s Olympic gymnastics team. But the grueling hours of physical training it took to get there paled in comparison to the hardships the gymnast endured to make it to the top. In this confessional autobiography, deftly narrated by the author herself, Moceanu reveals the innermost details of her troubled young life. In addition to the pressures of professional sports, the gymnast recounts difficulties that ranged from domestic battles to drug use. Most shocking of all, Moceanu recounts her discovery of a long-lost sister with a physical disability...and more in common with the gymnast than one might expect. A powerful, eye-opening look at the woman behind the winning performances, Off Balance is a deeply moving and, at times, heartbreaking listen.

They say that the best perspective is a bird’s-eye view, and Scott O’Neil had just that. As CEO of the Philadelphia 76ers and the New Jersey Devils, O’Neil had stood face-to-face with some of the greatest athletes and personalities of our time, learning many invaluable lessons about life along the way. Unfortunately, his own life journey would be met with death, tragedy and sadness, leaving him struggling to figure out how to keep it all together while being a father, husband, and leader. In his first memoir, Be Where Your Feet Are, O’Neil shares his perspective on life, learning, grief, and healing in a unique blend of self-dev, sports, and nonfiction. Featuring interviews with some of the most renowned athletes and business leaders in the industry, this is a deep, introspective and eye-opening listen that will inspire you to be the best version of yourself.