We all know that there are some incredibly smart NBA players out there. But did you know that one of them has a doctorate in education?
That’s right, Dr. J.J. Redick is not only a talented basketball player, but he’s also got a PhD. And he’s not the only one! Here are some other NBA players who have earned doctorates.
Dr. J – Julius Erving
Dr. J – Julius Erving became the first basketball player to earn a doctorate when he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Letters degree from Pennsylvania’s University of the Arts in 1999. The retired NBA legend, who was born and raised in Philadelphia, also has a court named after him at the university.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (born Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor Jr.; April 16, 1947) is an American retired professional basketball player who played 20 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the Milwaukee Bucks and the Los Angeles Lakers. During his career as a center, Abdul-Jabbar was a record six-time NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP), a record 19-time NBA All-Star, a 15-time All-NBA selection, and an 11-time NBA All-Defensive Team member. A member of six NBA championship teams as a player and two as an assistant coach, Abdul-Jabbar twice was voted NBA Finals MVP. In 1996, he was honored as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History.NBA coach Pat Riley and players Isiah Thomas and Julius Erving have called him the greatest basketball player of all time.
Abdul-Jabbar has also been an actor, a basketball coach, and a philanthropist. In 2012, he was selected by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to be a U.S. global cultural ambassador.
In 1971, Abdul-Jabbar transformed himself intoLew Alcindor (his given name at birth), changing his religion from Protestantism to Islam and acquiring what he described as “a deeper understanding of black culture”, which he felt would enable him to better relate to black fans and athletes.(wikipedia)
Shaquille O’Neal
Shaquille O’Neal is one of the most iconic players in NBA history. The big man was a force to be reckoned with on the court, winning four championships, three Finals MVPs, and one regular season MVP throughout his 19-year career. But O’Neal isn’t just remembered for his dominance on the hardwood—he’s also known for being one of the few players in NBA history to earn a doctorate.
In 2000, O’Neal decided to go back to school and earn his MBA from the University of Phoenix. But he didn’t stop there—in 2012, he earned his EdD from Barry University. O’Neal has said that he decided to get his doctorate so that he could inspire young people to never give up on their dreams and continue learning throughout their lives.
Bill Russell
Bill Russell was a retired American basketball player who was born on February 12, 1934, in Monroe, Louisiana. He attended and played for the University of San Francisco before being drafted by the Boston Celtics in 1956. As a Celtic, he helped the team to win 11 championships in 13 seasons. After his retirement from playing in 1969, he coached the Seattle Supersonics for four seasons, winning a championship in 1979. In all, he won 12 championships as a player and coach – more than any other person in NBA history.
In addition to his incredible basketball career, Bill Russell also earned a doctorate in education from Pepperdine University in 1974.
Tim Duncan
In 2001, then-NBA player Tim Duncan earned a doctorate in education from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
Steve Nash
Nash, who was born in South Africa and raised in Canada, was a two-time NBA MVP with the Phoenix Suns. He also played for the Dallas Mavericks and the Los Angeles Lakers. Nash, who announced his retirement from the NBA in March, is now a player development consultant for the Golden State Warriors.
But Nash isn’t just a retired basketball player. He’s also a doctor. In October, Nash received his Doctor of Education degree from Ashford University.
David Robinson
Former NBA star David Robinson is a doctor. He earned his doctorate in education from the University of California, San Diego in May of 2001.
Magic Johnson
Magic Johnson is an American retired professional basketball player and current president of basketball operations of the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played point guard for the Lakers for 13 seasons. After winning championships in high school and college, Johnson was selected first overall in the 1979 NBA draft by the Lakers. He won a championship and an NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award in his rookie season, and won four more championships with the Lakers during the 1980s.Johnson retired abruptly in 1991 after announcing that he had contracted HIV, but returned to play in the 1992 All-Star Game, winning the All-Star MVP Award. After protests from his fellow players, he retired again for four years, but returned in 1996, at age 36, to play 32 games for the Lakers before retiring for good.
As a result of his announcement, Johnson was forced to retire from the NBA at age 32. In 1992, he founded the Magic Johnson Foundation to help combat HIV/AIDS through education and support. Later that year he was honored as one of Sports Illustrated’s forty Athletes Who Changed The World. He was also voted one of ESPN’s 100 Greatest African American Athletes of all time and one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People of The 20th Century.”’
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