Highest B-Ball IQ?

[Stumbleweed]

Re: Highest B-Ball IQ?

Who's IQ is the most overrated?

I would say Billups

The guy stops the ball too much and plays out of control when he really has no business doing so.

I agree with that... dude tries for the dagger way too often and ends up wasting possessions at a very high rate when his shot isn't falling (it hasn't been all year aside from the game against the Knicks). Those pull-up threes with 19 seconds on the shot clock kill me, especially since I know he doesn't get **** for it from Karl like JR would (even though JR makes those and other crazy shots at a higher rate). He also doesn't see pick and roll passing lanes very well, he almost always holds the ball instead of hitting the roll man... he'll make a beautiful pass every now and then and it's frustrating because he clearly has the ability and the vision but just ends up defaulting to the safe thing and holding the ball (often resulting in a long distance, low % shot).

When his shot isn't falling he can kill the team. He normally backs off shooting and tries to facilitate when he's cold, but he's not the best at that really and can't lace passes and see men like the elite distributing PGs can (Paul, Kidd, Nash).

[Dice]

Re: Highest B-Ball IQ?

Can anybody tell me what constitutes good basketball IQ? I've been kind of up and down on this subject for years and haven't gotten a firm understanding. Basketball IQ is such a broad matter that I don't think it can really be defined. So when you guys rank these players, what are the credentials? Please tell me because I don't get it.

Someone talked about Dennis Rodman having a good basketball IQ. Yes he does BUT only in terms of rebounding, defense and passing. All though he couldn't tell you squat about shooting.

[ehh]

Re: Highest B-Ball IQ?

Defining it is easy: knowing and understanding the correct decision or move in any given situation.

Ranking it in terms of players is the hard part, and kinda the dumb part IMO. Not a fan of lists and ranking players and all that nonsense especially for intangible things.

This applies to your Rodman example, he knew he should barely shoot the ball during his tenure with the Bulls. That wasn't his role. In the 'situation' on offense when he had the ball he knew it was the right decision to pass 99% of the time.

[Yeah...THAT Guy]

Re: Highest B-Ball IQ?

QFT.

LeBron is also not all that brilliant when it comes to offense. He can find the open guy and has great vision, but he is a ball stopper and still doesn't know how to utilize a pick properly when he doesn't have the ball.

Ray Allen does this extremely well.

[J.R. Locke]

Re: Highest B-Ball IQ?

Kidd is the most instinctive not the smartest (have you seen some of his passes before....turnover machine).

I would like someone to describe basketball IQ to me because the best players rarely do the little IQ things like spacing the floor, running the break correctly, picking players on the run, making players go to their weakness, understanding pace, shooting shots iwth rebounders under the basket.....etc

Strange top 5....

[pan_alen]

Re: Highest B-Ball IQ?

Wade has to be in this top 5...

[KG]

Re: Highest B-Ball IQ?

Can anybody tell me what constitutes good basketball IQ? I've been kind of up and down on this subject for years and haven't gotten a firm understanding. Basketball IQ is such a broad matter that I don't think it can really be defined. So when you guys rank these players, what are the credentials? Please tell me because I don't get it.

Someone talked about Dennis Rodman having a good basketball IQ. Yes he does BUT only in terms of rebounding, defense and passing. All though he couldn't tell you squat about shooting.

The players/coaches ranked them.

Defining it is easy: knowing and understanding the correct decision or move in any given situation.

Ranking it in terms of players is the hard part, and kinda the dumb part IMO. Not a fan of lists and ranking players and all that nonsense especially for intangible things.

You can know the right decision to make but you still have to execute the play. That's why the list is comprised of perrenial all-stars. It's why I disagree with your LBJ post. His athleticism and ability influence his decisions which are sometimes lackluster but occassionally he pulls off stuff that defies physics because he believes he can. It's also about knowing your teammates strengths and more importantly weaknesses.

It's no shocker that there are 4 guys who dominate the ball and 2 guys whose shot selection is often criticized.

[ehh]

Re: Highest B-Ball IQ?

It's why I disagree with your LBJ post. His athleticism and ability influence his decisions which are sometimes lackluster but occassionally he pulls off stuff that defies physics because he believes he can.

The 'occasionally' part exemplifies my point perfectly. His physical ability only gets him a free pass in certain situations which is why as a whole his bball IQ suffers, because he can get away with a lot of poor decisions but at times he can't. He doesn't have to do the "right thing" very often because his gifts allow him to do succeed despite so-so fundamentals and a decent bball IQ. If LeBron makes a play despite making the incorrect basketball decision then that does in turn make his basketball IQ any better IMO.

And there are certain universal basketball IQ-related fundamentals, decisions and moves that have nothing to do with athleticism or physical ability. It doesn't matter if you have a 70" vertical or can bench 600 lbs, if you curl a screen when your defender goes under you aren't getting any productive out of it. And that's real basic stuff that you're taught in high school or younger.

After watching LeBron for years now it's very evident to me that he does not have the great IQ or sixth sense that guys like Bird, Magic and MJ had. I don't think Kobe has ever had it either which is why I don't consider him to be on the same level as those guys.

[AlexBrady]

Re: Highest B-Ball IQ?

Deron Williams
Tim Duncan
Ray Allen
Chauncey Billups
Jeff Foster
Andre Miller

These players have a deep understanding of the game.

[Yeah...THAT Guy]

Re: Highest B-Ball IQ?

Deron Williams Yes-ish
Tim Duncan Heck Yes
Ray Allen Heck Yes
Chauncey Billups Could go either way
Jeff Foster haven't seen him enough to know
Andre Miller same as Foster

These players have a deep understanding of the game.

my .02

[TheMatrix31]

Re: Highest B-Ball IQ?

What about a guy like Shane Battier? He's EXTREMELY smart.

[jrich05]

Re: Highest B-Ball IQ?

What about a guy like Shane Battier? He's EXTREMELY smart.

Smart=/=IQ=/=basketball IQ.

[ehh]

Re: Highest B-Ball IQ?

Battier is definitely way up there, as is Ginobili.

[ILLSmak]

Re: Highest B-Ball IQ?

Yeah... that ain't it. A lot of people you guys think have high bball IQ are more dependent on their athleticism than you think.

The guys who really have a high bball IQ are the ones that are still able to ball now that they are old. Yes, I am going to mention Shaq in there.

Kobe and Bron both take too many bad shots. Wade, to me, is higher than them. Nash doesn't have a high bball IQ, he just knows one system; he still chucks the ball out of bounds.

Tyler Hansborogh has a super high bball IQ. It wouldn't be as many of the stars as you think.

I'll give you G Hill, though, he came back with broke knees and still is dominating.

-Smak

[3rdAnswer]

Re: Highest B-Ball IQ?

When I think of high IQ NBA players, I think of....

Steve Nash
Rasheed Wallace
Kevin Garnett
Kobe Bryant
Jason Kidd
Jason Williams
Pau Gasol
Andre Miller

That's just off the top of my head though...