“Having a high basketball IQ is like having the answers to a test,”
Kansas coachBill Self said. “I honestly think it’s a feel thing. For
the kids with the most basketball smarts – the kids with the best feel
for the game – most of the stuff just comes naturally.”
A player with a high b-ball IQ is like having the head coach multiply
his spirit in various forms on the court. If not a few, at least one individual, a team's point guard usually, like quarterbacking a football team, must know and expect what his coach, fellow players and he himself wants, and when. While the game of hoops
has witnessed great athletes, fewer have possessed such rare qualities
as the ability to seemingly "see" where others on the court cannot.
Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Isaiah Thomas and John Stockton come to mind
when considering some of the most dominant 'all-seeing-eye' ballers
in NBA history.
But 2012 NBA pro's have a few good picks of their own
with regard to current players, and their high IQ status. After
checkin'-out these featured NBA-YouTube videos, who would your top pick for the NBA player with the highest IQ be?
Just after the conclusion of his first season as head coach, the recent ousting of [now] former head coach of the Oakland Raiders - Hue Jackson, by owner - Mark Davis through his [new] general manager - Reggie McKenzie, came as no surprise to some, yet surprisingly to himself and his supporters. While some reports suggested that Jackson was too "power hungry" and wanted more authority and say-so within the Raider organization, others simply believe his press conference comments, right after losing the last game of the season, when he put his players 'on-blast' for not performing as expected, was cause for his firing.
Whether it was actually McKenzie or Davis who made the call to dismiss Jackson still remains a mystery, but there's speculation that it was Davis' nod that put the act in motion. Perhaps we'll never know the real deal on this issue, but O.G. - Hue Jackson was respectful about the decision, and while "pissed" at his team for their lack of will-to-win attitude, he repeatedly accepted his responsibility, as head coach, for producing only an average (500, 8 and 8 record) season.
"I was surprised, but I understand the decision", said Jackson during an interview about his termination.
Upon his release from the organization, the former head coach gracefully accepted his fate and wished the organization, and owner - Mark Davis, well and looks forward to furthering his professional career as a coach in the NFL.
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On a good note: Although Jackson was surprised and obviously disappointed about his fall from Raider Nation, he still stands by his convictions and enjoys major support from long time friends and former teammates, namely, from his high school alma-mater in Los Angeles, California - Dorsey High School.
During his senior year at Dorsey, Jackson was the starting quarterback for the Dons, who won the city championship in 1982. "So hard, so hard to be a Don!"...but not so hard to be a Raider...or maybe not?
With the Raider's poor performance history, and dark cloud of funk that's been plaguing the organization for far too long, Mr. Jackson might find himself better suited coaching personnel who execute plays like the Raiders of times past, instead of setting new record lows for most penalties; "coaches can only coach, but players must ball, homie!"
Coach Jackson is a winner, and it's understandable that he let off a little steam about his feelings regarding his players - finally, a coach who said what he really felt and kept it "real".
