Who's the smartest player in the NBA?

[1987_Lakers]

lol @ people saying LeBron isn't smart. He has come to a point where he can dominate the game physically and mentally.

[BuffaloBill]

Here are my Top 5:

1. Jason Kidd
2. Kobe Bryant
3. Steve Nash
4. Tim Duncan
5. Lebron James

I would just switch out Lebron with CP3. Lebron doesn't belong on that list.

[Patrick Chewing]

lin is asian so he should be up there

I love Lin, but he is a turnover machine.


I truly think Kidd has the best court smarts and then it's really not even close after that.

[supe12sta12z]

When you say smart, Are you talking about Book smart? Street Smarts? or Basketball IQ?

[Patrick Chewing]

When you say smart, Are you talking about Book smart? Street Smarts? or Basketball IQ?

Basketball IQ, son.

[gigantes]

2011-12 NBA.com GM Survey Results

Which player has the best basketball IQ?

1. Steve Nash, Phoenix -- 28.6%
2. Chris Paul, L.A. Clippers -- 21.4%
3. Jason Kidd, Dallas -- 17.9%
T4. Kobe Bryant, L.A. Lakers -- 7.1%
T4. Tim Duncan, San Antonio -- 7.1%
T4. Manu Ginobili, San Antonio -- 7.1%

http://www.nba.com/news/features/201...vey/index.html

seems legit.

[maybeshewill13]

Non basketball IQ taken into account, I'm taking the asian guy with the Harvard degree.

[alleykat]

Lebron is not remotely close to smart. Skilled and gifted perhaps. But not smart.

Remotely? Lol his court vision is tremendous. Nah remote on that list is Kobe. Probably the most skilled player on that list, but furthest from being smart on the court

[Pointguard]

Basketball IQ would be manifest by consistent judgement, decision making, superior anticipation, ability to improve themselves in different ways, willingness to learn different systems/people, knowing when to assert oneself, knowing how to get more out of others and understanding game situations while mitigating mistakes. Add creativity and versatility to the mix.

Kidd is a great choice in all regards.

Chris Paul - is baby Kidd.

Nash can suck you into his world and make the opposition play his game. His awareness and decision making is impeccable. Can make something out of nothing because of great patience and know how.

Lebron - exercises the best judgement and decision making of big time scorers in the game. Look at his assist and assist to turnover ratio. While people are saying he isn't a shooter it wouldn't surprise anyone if he had a season where he is connecting like Dirk's best years from the 3pt line; because he has great judgment as to when to shoot vs. pass. Can play different positions and guard a wide range of players because of study and application skills.

Kevin Garnett also has to get high praise. Coaches talk about KG knowing their playbook. He developed more aspects of his game as much as anybody ever in the game. Could do it all because he has great application skills. Played intense and smart his whole career - its hard to do that in anything that has a lot of flow.

[Floppy]

The guy who dribbles the ball at the 3pt line for 20 sec while waving his arms around and then takes a step back fade away three.

Insane bball IQ.

[scott0326]

Andray Blatche, Javale McGee, Nick Young, Jordan Crawford, Josh Smith, Lamar Odom, J.R. Smith, Tyrus Thomas or Michael Beasley

[Mr Clutch Melo]

How can anyone claim that Kobe is a smart player ? His shot selection and choices (when to pass and when to shoot) are not exactly what I define smart.

[jdm_dc_fan]

Kobe
Duncan
Garnett
Shaq
Nash
Rondo
Kidd
Battier

Imagine Kobe and Rondo on the same team. Literally yin and yang, peanut butter and jelly, black and white, pass and score.

[Djahjaga]

lin is asian so he should be up there

and lebron is definitely not smart... if he were smart he would be the GOAT... he is just an athletic freak with basketball talent

Peers often describe James as "a beast," and even though they mean to flatter him, the label dismisses the depths to which he comprehends the game. He can deconstruct the top eight players on every NBA team and many college teams. He can run every set in the Heat playbook from all five positions. In film sessions he sometimes completes Spoelstra's sentences, and at the Olympics, many of Team USA's defensive strategies were suggestions from James in practice. "He's not smart," says Krzyzewski. "He's brilliant. And I don't like to use that word."

In Cleveland, James would crack jokes during meetings because he already knew what the coaches were trying to teach. "It was like the kid in school who can doodle and throw spitballs but still get A's," Jent says. Because James was the Cavaliers' best player, others followed his example, though they did not grasp the material as easily. James couldn't understand, when games began, why they kept blowing assignments. "I expect everyone to be on the same wavelength, and that's a problem I'm still working on," he says. "If I see something and it doesn't happen the way I envision, I can get frustrated."

When James is grabbing a rare rest on the Heat bench, he usually sits next to second-year guard Terrel Harris, narrating the action so a young player can see the game through his eyes. During a mid-November- game in Denver, Ray Allen was dribbling upcourt and Rashard Lewis was streaking down the left side. James inched forward in his seat and started yelling, "Rashard, it's coming to you! Get ready to shoot!" Allen raced around a pick-and-roll with Bosh and threw the ball to the corner, where an expectant Lewis caught it and drilled the three-pointer. "How did you know that was going to happen?" Harris asked.

The standard scouting report given to Heat players before games is two pages. The one James receives is four, filled with the kind of advanced stats reserved for coaches, bloggers and Shane Battier. "I want to know that this guy drives left 70% of the time, or pulls up when he drives right, or likes to cross over after two dribbles," James says. Even when he is with friends, he'll geek out in the middle of casual conversation: "Remember when I drove and kicked to Ray at the four-minute mark in the second quarter. If he'd have drifted into the corner, we'd have had a better shot." Then, after a pause: "So what are you guys getting into tonight?"

"He'll be talking about a player and tell you, 'If you post up on the left side and drive middle, he'll foul you every time,'" Carter says. "Everybody sees the dunks and the 35 points, but it's no accident. Carmelo Anthony is the same size. J.R. Smith can jump just as high. Dwight Howard is as good an athlete. It's his thought process that separates him."

Sick of the notion that Lebron is just playing on talent. That doesn't suffice at the highest level of competition.

[Lebron23]

Sick of the notion that Lebron is just playing on talent. That doesn't suffice at the highest level of competition.

This

His basketball IQ hovers at genius level.