Chris Paul has so much basketball knowledge and his fundamentals are on point. Here’s how he developed his large I.Q.
Chris Paul is a basketball master.
And I’m not saying this because of his 2020 Game 6 playoff performance.
I’m saying this because he has mastered his craft.
Seriously, if you want to witness what mastery on the hardwood looks like, just watch CP3 play (especially in his later years, like in Game 6 of the first round in the 2020 playoffs).
He has a big toolbox of things he can use on the court, much like Dwyane Wade and his bag of tricks. But what makes him a master isn’t his ability to do them.
Rather, it’s his big brain… it’s his ability to know when to use what tool. And this I.Q is what differentiates him from so many other players.
Paul has great court vision. He’s able to read both ends of the court.
He’s able to evaluate, and in a way, predict what will happen if he passed the ball instead of shooting it, for instance. This is how he was able to become the first player in NBA history to reach 20,000 points and 11,000 assists.
And to develop this ability, an ability that only masters possess, Paul has had to increase his I.Q.; he had to nerd out and study the game a lot.
And this task is super important for average Joes and Janes.
The Importance of Basketball I.Q.
The reason why is that most of us aren’t gifted basketball players.
We’re not gifted athletically and we’re also not the most skilled. We may have the fundamentals down, but we’re not the best.
And that’s okay. We mainly play basketball for fun.
But just because we play leisurely, doesn’t mean we shouldn’t play (or want to play) well.
But, as I mentioned earlier, we’re not gifted (and don’t have a bunch of time to work on our skills).
So, we have to rely on something else to improve.
And that thing is I.Q. (and also excellent fundamental skills).
We have to outsmart our opponents. And we have to juke them by combining our knowledge and mastery of the fundamentals.
When they think we’re zigging, we zag. When they think we’re going to zag, we zag anyway. But we throw them off with a shot fake first.
How to Increase Basketball I.Q. Like Chris Paul
To increase I.Q., the best thing that an average Joe and Jane can do is watch game breakdowns, post-game analyses, and basketball tutorials.
This may seem like a lot of work. But if you are being truthful with yourself, you’re probably already consuming this content on a regular basis anyway.
Now, you just have to be mindful and pay attention to what is being said rather than half-listening to it.
This goes the same with watching games. Pay attention to what the coaches, mic’d up players, and commentators are saying.
There are some good nuggets of knowledge there.
Also, keep in mind that you just can’t take in this content. You have to also work on your basketball fundamentals because if you don’t have the skills to execute your knowledge, nothing will happen.
It’s like knowing what a delicious burger tastes like, but not having the cooking skills to make it.
So consume knowledge, practice the fundamentals, and experiment on the court.
Final Thoughts
Chris Paul is one of the smartest players in the NBA, He’s also one of the most skilled.
That’s why people often refer to him as the Point God.
So, if you want to be a great (Average Joe and Jane-level) basketball player, develop your I.Q. and fundamental skills.