LA Lakers: Ranking the Smartest Players on the Team

We often hear the term "Basketball IQ" used to describe a player's intangibles—his cognitive grasp of the game. But what does it really mean? 

Is there a numbered scoring scale for a player's basketball IQ?

Are there classes NBA players can enroll in to improve their IQ's?

Will there be a midterm at the end of this article?

Let's pull out those No. 2 pencils and dive in to find out what basketball IQ really means and how the Lakers roster ranks in the halls of basketball academia.

What Is Basketball IQ?

First, a primer.

Basketball IQ is essentially the ability to adjust at game speed and make correct decisions regarding your floor spacing, defensive rotations, offensive attack—essentially anything expected or unexpected that unfolds during the game—and do so in a way that is in lockstep with the rest of your teammates.

But don't take my word for it—let's hear it straight from Professor Mamba.

In an interview with ESNEWS, Kobe Bryant was asked this very question and said of his team's high basketball IQ:

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"We're able to read off of one another extremely quickly. Read the defense very quickly. Sometimes teams have to go out and practice for it, and go through every single option. Then go out on the floor.. Some teams can't call an audible on the fly. We can. And we can read that situation and adjust to it extremely quickly."

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It has everything to do with bridging the gap between basketball fundamentals, team chemistry and in-game decision making.

So how do the Lakers rank?

9. Luke Walton: Dunce Cap

The University of Arizona education did well to help Luke Walton prepare for the NBA but he seems to have lost this basketball knowledge somewhere along the way during his eight-year professional career.

At first glance, Luke might appear to have a strong basketball IQ. He's always looking to create shots for his teammates and always trying to be a facilitator.

But in watching Luke play last season, his presence on the court appeared to disrupt the entire flow of the offense—either running into screens already set at the top of the key or making errant passes to a spot he thought his teammate would be.

Perhaps due to his limited playing time or declining ability, Luke looks very rusty in his decision making.

Unfortunately, that awards him the dunce cap on this list.

There's one in every class.

8. Ron Artest: Must Take Summer School

Decision making is not Ron Artest's strong suit—his recent name change will tell you just that.

Ron struggled the last two years to find a rhythm in Phil Jackson's triangle offense—making late rotations and disrupting floor spacing. After all, the triangle offense is all about reads and decision points.

Under the yet-to-be determined Mike Brown Lakers offense, Ron may feel more comfortable if there are set plays or simpler principles. Offensively, the best could be yet to come for Ron Ron.

What Ron excels at—defense—doesn't need to be a thinking man's game. Stay in front of your assignment, contest every shot, and help out where you can.

Concentrating on his defensive role and finding his spot in a simpler offensive scheme could be the best thing for Ron and his contribution to the Lakers next season.

7. Andrew Bynum: Detention Hall

Whenever the NBA season does start up again, Andrew Bynum has to spend the first five games in detention hall for stealing JJ Barea's lunch money. 

But Bynum's disciplinary actions are not what lands him low on the list.

In fact, Bynum is an exceptionally smart defender—making great reads as the anchor in the middle. Occasionally he will get caught guarding the point guard off a screen and roll, but for the most part, Bynum decisions on defense are very consistent with his role as the dominant presence inside the paint.

It's Bynum's offensive decision-making that leaves room for improvement.

Andrew Bynum seems to force up a lot of tough shots. Many of these tough shots go in, but that doesn't necessarily justify the decision to shoot a contested shot when a better option might have been available.

Whether this is a result of his role in the pecking order or the time on the shot clock when he receives the rock, Bynum has a chance this offseason to refine this aspect of his game and help propel himself into the stratum of superstars.

6. Steve Blake: Teacher's Pet

Every teacher has a pet—someone they will always call on in class because this student pays attention, shows up on time, takes excellent notes and sits in the front row.

This is Steve Blake.

As floor general for the second unit, Steve showed he's capable of running the offense from the bench. Unfortunately, outside of Lamar Odom, the bench did not provide Steve with many great scoring options.

But he nonetheless displayed a high intelligence with reads of opposing defenses and the ability to make plays on the fly.

Steve's biggest fault may be his willingness to make the extra pass when he has the opportunity for an open shot. It's tough to fault a player for trying to make his teammates better, but the best decision in these cases is to just put the ball in the back of the net.

5. Matt Barnes: The Smart New Kid

Matt Barnes has developed a solid grasp of the game during his career.

Hampered by a right knee tear in the second half of the season, Matt displayed his high intelligence and ability to make great reads during the first half of his new Lakers stint last year.

Whether it was his sneaky help defense or aggressive cuts to the lane, Barnes fit in pretty seamlessly with his new team. Barnes knew how to contribute in his new role and where his abilities would be most effective.

We shouldn't be surprised—he's been adjusting his role for eight different NBA teams during his eight-year career.

He's used to fitting in.

4. Derek Fisher: Student Council President

"Vote Derek Fisher for Student Council" read the signs posted above every school water fountain.

Derek is your ultimate professional. The sage veteran and five-time NBA champion has certainly played enough of the game to develop a high basketball IQ.

Critics argue that his age and declining athletic ability severely limits his effectiveness. But as far as basketball intelligence goes, he's as knowledgeable and reliable as they come.

Last season he initiated the triangle smoothly and played his role as the fifth and final scoring option without causing disruptions in the Laker offense while still adding timely "Fisheresque" buckets.

Even though Fisher was not strong on the defensive side of the ball, his shortcomings were more a product of his age rather than his basketball intelligence.

We've seen Fish play academically sound basketball for 15 years. He's definitely got my vote for Student Council.

3. Lamar Odom: Coolest Guy in School

Lamar Odom is the guy in the letterman jacket, rolling into class late and still acing the exams. 

Cool, calm and always collected on the floor, Lamar is one of only a handful of players in the NBA with the ability to play all five positions.

You need to have a strong basketball IQ just to play one position—Lamar excels at all five.

The reigning NBA's Sixth Man of the Year shows great chemistry with both the Lakers' starting lineup and second unit, able to adjust to any game situation with any collection of players and still perform at a high level.

Lamar knows when to push the tempo on the break, knows when to help back on defense to grab the board, knows when to follow up shots for a quick put-back, knows when to pull up for the long distance three-pointer—his knowledge of the game seems endless.

Occasionally, we may see Lamar make a poor decision—like going for that behind-the-back pass he learned playing street ball on the playgrounds of Queens, New York. But on the whole, the guy's intelligence and versatility make him a true maestro on the court.

2. Pau Gasol: Natural Genius

Pau Gasol's basketball IQ is absolutely off the charts.

He's like the child prodigy who learned to play piano at 6 years old, which quite frankly isn't far from the truth. Pau was actually playing Tchaikovsky on the piano at the age of 13.

Like Mozart, Pau has developed a game based on creative genius and fundamentals. He's able to attack anything the defense throws at him with his left or right hand, either from the perimeter or from the post, and does so with immaculate timing.

And Pau may arguably be the best post passer of the last decade—making exquisite passing decisions with his back to the basket while staying knowledgeable of every player's position on the floor.

Defensively, Pau is very smart—knowing when to contest, stay back, help, or leave the paint. He is constantly a factor on defense in one form or another.

When Pau was traded from Memphis to Los Angeles in 2008, Kobe Bryant was asked by reporters that day about what he likes most about Pau Gasol.

Top of the list? His basketball IQ.

1. Kobe Bryant: The Valedictorian

Could there be anyone else?

Professor Mamba—the great Kobe Bryant—is hands down the smartest player on the Lakers and in the entire league.

The following excerpt from an Esquire magazine spread on the early days of the Mamba sums it up nicely:

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"Before Phil Jackson was ever even mentioned as a possible coach, Kobe contacted Tex Winter, the godfather of the triangle offense, to discuss the intricacies of the play...just because he was a student of the game and wanted to learn everything."

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Kobe lives, eats and breathes basketball.

Much of his success—in addition to his gifted physical talents—comes from his relentless pursuit of basketball knowledge. 

And while his basketball IQ translates exceptionally well on the court, he also assumes the role of teacher with his own peers. 

Every game, Kobe can be seen teaching and imparting his extensive basketball knowledge onto professional basketball players who have played the game their entire lives.

And still they learn something from Kobe.

In fact, we all can learn something from Kobe: to be the best, you have to know your craft and know it well.

The smartest player in the NBA is a high schooler who never went to college. How's that for a brainteaser.