The Smartest Basketball Players of All Time

[cutewizard]

Greetings to all of you guys and especially Spurs fans.

Let me start this thread, I have been wondering who are the smartest cagers of all time, the guys with the highest levels of basketball IQ....

Some people who come to mind are Russell, Rodman, Bird, Robertson, among others. Of course our very own Manu is there, definitely one of the smartest players in history.

So, can we make a list and compare them. I know lots of guys here are good at analysis. This is just my personal list. Please feel free to make comments and create your own list. Thank you.

The Smartest Basketball Players:

1. Bill Russell

2. Larry Bird

3. Manu Ginobili

4. Dennis Rodman

5. John Stockton

6. Wilt Chamberlain?

7. Arvydas Sabonis

8. Ramon Fernandez (from the Philippines)

....................

[Texas_Ranger]

Tim Duncan

[LakerHater]

What, no Michael Jordan???

[Duncan21kid]

lol @ the list not having Timmy in there

[iManu]

Umm. Pete Maravich, retards.

[lefty]

Scottie Pippen

[MateoNeygro]

Deron Williams, Tim Duncan, Kobe Bryant, John Stockton, Steve Nash, MJ, Magic, Bird to name a few.

[admiralsnackbar]

Magic Johnson
John Havilcek
Robert Horry
Bruce Bowen (at the risk of being a homer, I know, but his use of psychology made up for his deficiencies in play-making or court vision, IMO)

Edit: this is in addition to those already mentioned.

[Duncan2177]

In no order

Michael Jordan

Bill Russell

Kareem Abdul Jabbar

Magic Johnson

Larry Bird

Tim Duncan

Kobe Bryant

David Robinson

Shaquille O'Neal

Pete Maravich

Jerry West

LeBron James

Julius Erving

Oscar Robertson

Hakeem Olajuwon

Patrick Ewing

Bill Walton

John Stockton

[ginobilized]

Robert Horry had some off the charts BBIQ.

[dbestpro]

There seems to be a lot of cross over on athletic ability verses BB IQ. This is why Bird and Rodman would top my list. Both accomplished greatness with limited size or athletic ability. While Rodman was athletic he was not so much so to be the greatest rebounder in the history of the game.

[DxB]

In no order

Michael Jordan

Bill Russell

Kareem Abdul Jabbar

Magic Johnson

Larry Bird

Tim Duncan

Kobe Bryant

David Robinson

Shaquille O'Neal

Pete Maravich

Jerry West

LeBron James

Julius Erving

Oscar Robertson

Hakeem Olajuwon

Patrick Ewing

Bill Walton

John Stockton

Patrick Ewing and Shaq have the combined IQ of a carrot.

[m33p0]

paul westphal

[TIMMYD!]

Already a fail by not including Tim.

[Ginobili2Duncan]

Drew Gooden and Stromile Swift, and we can't forget about Gerald Green:king

[Fabbs]

Dennis Johnson
Spud Webb
Mugsey Bogues

[Biggems]

I agree about Horry and Bowen, while just role players, they were brilliant with preparation and with the intricate knowlege of the psychology of the game.

[Biggems]

basketball-wise, David isnt in the top 10......but overall intelligence, I have a hard time putting anyone above him.

[spizzle_tronk]

Shane Battier

[pjjrfan]

And Rick Barry
Jo Jo White
Dave Cowens
Walt Frazier
Jerry Sloan
Dave Bing
Paul Silas
John Johnson the guy who invented the point forward position.
Lenny Wilkens
Dave Debusschere
Bill Bradley
A lot of oldtimers who knew how to play the game didn't have the hops or athleticism of today's athletes. But they could school you just on fundamentals.

[howbouthemspurs]

Will Perdue Mutha Fucka!

[Stamm32089]

It's laughable that none of you have mentioned Jason Kidd. GTFO here.

[lefty]

It's laughable that none of you have mentioned Jason Kidd. GTFO here.
Playing for the Mavericks automatically puts anyone in the dumb category

[Stamm32089]

Playing for the Mavericks automatically puts anyone in the dumb category

It has nothing to do with the fact that he plays for the Mavs.

[duhoh]

Patrick Ewing and Shaq have the combined IQ of a carrot.

not sure about ewing, but shaq has a PhD brah

[EmantheSpursFan]

LSU? i think
i remember him saying that "LSU officially stands for Love Shaq University"
:lol

[xellos88330]

Are we talking BBIQ or book smarts?

[duhoh]

From clown school?

from University of Phoenix :lmao

actually, it might be an MBA.

[Blackjack]

I'd say any of the scrubs that managed to stay in a league they had no business in, made millions of dollars and didn't blow it all, are probably the smartest of the smart.

[EmantheSpursFan]

^^^
Bonner??

[JamStone]

Rasheed is one of the smartest players in the league over the past decade or so... amazing considering he's also one of the biggest dumbasses.

[Blackjack]

^^^
Bonner??

He does eat sandwiches and drive a Grand Prix (at least, last I heard).

[shingo_318]

Tyrone Bogues the smallest NBA player of all time...

[Rummpd]

David Robinson starts and ends the list - a true genius, math, pianiast and humanitarian - he may not have shown it on the court (basketball was never his true passion) but three other bigs did: Bill Walton was also a very smart guy (but a flake) as is Kareem with his sky hook and widespread genius (book author and musician); but for the money, give me, the Dream - Hakeem could just flat out play and dominated Shaq in a final, David in the WCF and was just a brilliant basketball player.

Put Hakeem and Duncan together in their prime with any three decent NBA starters and that team would never lose a title.

[cantthinkofanything]

Robert Horry had some off the charts BBIQ.

That's assinine. Robert Horry was just plain dumb enough not to care if his shot went in or not.

[cantthinkofanything]

David Robinson starts and ends the list - a true genius, math, pianiast and humanitarian - he may not have shown it on the court (basketball was never his true passion) but three other bigs did: Bill Walton was also a very smart guy (but a flake) as is Kareem with his sky hook and widespread genius (book author and musician); but for the money, give me, the Dream - Hakeem could just flat out play and dominated Shaq in a final, David in the WCF and was just a brilliant basketball player.

Put Hakeem and Duncan together in their prime with any three decent NBA starters and that team would never lose a title.

A+. This is the most accurate post I've seen on this board.

[Muser]

Manu shouldn't be on any list like this.

[cantthinkofanything]

not sure about ewing, but shaq has a PhD brah

WTF??????

This is just dumb.
Ewing was a certified genius.

[Martin R]

Steve Nash anyone?

[duhoh]

WTF??????

This is just dumb.
Ewing was a certified genius.

what's dumb about knowing shaq has grad-school level certs and not being sure about ewing's academic career?

:wakeup

[wontstartdumbthreads]

Mutombo originally intended to become a doctor;

Jesus Christ, what a horrible prostrate exam that would be.

[dickface]

LSU? i think
i remember him saying that "LSU officially stands for Love Shaq University"
:lol

Also, there was that brilliant quote before he had any rings, when he said "I've won championships at every level except college and the pros"

[ambchang]

Phil Jackson, for constantly bandwagonning. Didn't even stop during his coaching days.

That said, Chamberlain was probably one of the least intelligent players, he got duped by Russell a million times, and learned nothing from it.

[Stargazer]

Steve Nash has gotta be on the list. He makes his living running the most efficient offenses the league has ever seen, and running them more or less on the fly. And other than being a great shooter, he really doesn't have a lot of physical gifts to fall back on (which is why his defense is poor).

[iManu]

I got 99 David Robinson basketball cards and an Hakeem ain't one.

[iManu]

That's 'cause the coach had a moral dilemma with Wilt for screwing that whole town.

Imagine that you have the nuclear bomb, but you know the fall out it's going to leave in your mind.

[temujin]

That's easy.

Bill Bradley.

[mudyez]

including Sabonis is a joke...nothing against him...he may have been the most talented player of all time, but he was/is surely not one of the smartest players

[cutewizard]

Are we talking BBIQ or book smarts?

Basketball IQ man.

Regards.

Go Spurs go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[cantthinkofanything]

including Sabonis is a joke...nothing against him...he may have been the most talented player of all time, but he was/is surely not one of the smartest players

Pretty racist comment. Just because he's Mexican doesn't mean that he can't be smart also.

[dbestpro]

Vlade Divac. He had no natural skill but constantly was a pain in everyone's side with one clever play or flop after another. Maybe the best big man passer ever.

[Mel_13]

You can really make a case for any of those 1970s Knicks. Those were the smartest teams in NBA history.

Do you see some rough parallels between the 69-73 Knicks and the 03-07 Spurs?

Old school coach
Defense first
Share the ball
Quiet big man captain
Broadway/Hollywood PG
SG making impossible plays
High BBIQ role players

[Hornets1]

Birdman

JR Smith

Kenyon Martin

Delonte West

Jayson Williams

Gilbert Arenas

Ron Artest

Sun Yue

just to name a few.......

[temujin]

Do you see some rough parallels between the 69-73 Knicks and the 03-07 Spurs?

Old school coach
Defense first
Share the ball
Quiet big man captain
Broadway/Hollywood PG
SG making impossible plays
High BBIQ role players

Absolutely.

[temujin]

I forgot one.

Kresimir Cosic.
Three Euros with Yugoslavia in the 70s.
Best big man passer ever to play in Europe.

Later Croatian ambassador in the US during the 91-95 war.
Basically #2 of the regime.

[disciple]

I'm not sure how you can measure this without looking at a players accomplishments in basketball while NOT on the floor. I would think the smartest players would become coaches.

So my list in no particular order:

Phil Jackson
Jerry Sloan
Paul Westpaul
Rick Carlisle
Larry Brown
Don Nelson
Doc Rivers
Steve Kerr
George Karl
Rick Adelman
Mike Dunleavy, Sr.

[Blake]

David Robinson starts and ends the list - a true genius, math, pianiast and humanitarian - he may not have shown it on the court (basketball was never his true passion)

I think Isiah Thomas should be on the list of smartest BBIQs....

funny how someone like David can be near genius off the court, but basically made his career because of his pure athletic ability....

while Zeke was brilliant on the court and has been nothing short of a dumbass off the court in almost every area of his life.

book smarts =/= playground smarts

[howbouthemspurs]

Becky Hammon!!

No contest! She is Brilliant!

[ambchang]

The hell? Thats the common misconception. Just because the Celtics beat the 6ers/Warriors, doesn't mean that Wilt didn't get his. Wilt is they ever averaged it out I would guess that Wilt averaged 30/15 against the Celtics. And the Lakers would have won the 69 championship had Wilt not been benched in the fourth quarter, a quarter in which the Celtics out rebounded and out scored the Lakers because Wilt didn't play. The coach had some kind of personal hate for Wilt and is probably the only coach in NBA history who won 55 regular season games, took the team to the finals and still got fired (because he didn't let Wilt re-enter the game).

I understand your love for Wilt, but Russell did that "pals-with-you" thing with Chamberlain to soften him up, then the 2nd he retired, starting bashing Wilt.

You can say Russell was a sneaky little jackass, but Wilt did get duped.

[JoshO501]

ron harper, mario elie