Smartest NBA players by GPA, degree: Western Conference

SOUTHWEST DIVISION

Luka Doncic (Dallas Mavericks)

Doncic completed primary school in Slovenia but had to go to high school in Madrid, Spain (because he joined Real Madrid at 13 years old). While his grades from overseas are N/A, he clearly was a smart child – considering that he was able to graduate high school while balancing the pro basketball career that he started with Real Madrid at 16. Doncic doesn’t have a college degree because he opted for the NBA instead of a college career.  

Kevin Durant once noted that Doncic was able to get ahead in basketball because student-athletes overseas have fewer academic demands compared to athletes in the US. 

“[Luka] didn’t have to go to class, study hall, none of that extra stuff the rest of the guys had to go through,” Durant said according to ESPN. “He was just focusing on his game probably since he was 14 years old. So that’s an advantage for him.” 

Jalen Green (Houston Rockets) 

Green’s high school GPA is N/A. Although he opted not to go to college and enter the G League instead, Green was given a full college scholarship by the G League. The offer can be used at any moment that he chooses to obtain his college degree, but Green hasn’t taken advantage of the opportunity yet. 

“I’m still going to be able to go back to college and finish school,” Green told Yahoo Sports after he graduated high school. “So, it’s not really that I’m missing out on college because I can go back and finish whenever I need to. School is a big thing in my family.”

Ja Morant (Memphis Grizzlies) 

Morant’s GPA is unavailable. He was also undeclared in his major at Murray State. It appears that he never graduated with a college degree because he entered the NBA after two years at the school. 

Zion Williamson (New Orleans Pelicans) 

Williamson’s GPA is unavailable and his college major was never listed by Duke. Although he stayed in college for one year before he entered the NBA, Williamson has acknowledged that he would have stayed in college for longer if it wasn’t for his parents swaying him to declare for the draft. 

“I wanted to go back (for my sophomore season),” Williamson told The Ringer. “Nobody ever believes me — they think I’m just saying that, but no. I genuinely wanted to go back.” 

Williamson even attended Duke’s Class of 2022 graduation – which is the ceremony he would have been a part of if he had finished school. 

Keldon Johnson (San Antonio Spurs) 

Johnson maintained a 3.71 GPA in high school. Kentucky listed his major as “undeclared/exploratory studies in agriculture.” It appears that the SF never graduated with a degree because he declared for the NBA draft after one season.