Pursuing a career in basketball is a difficult path that doesn't guarantee success. More often than not, a lot of basketball prospects don't end up achieving their hoop dreams. As a result, this makes it all the more important for athletes to have a stable fallback, putting more premium on a great educational foundation that can help athletes navigate through life beyond the sport.

To make matters more interesting, some athletes not only completed their education, but a handful even earned academic merits. Here is a look at 10 NBA players who excelled in academics.

Check out the gallery.

Jeremy Lin

While Jeremy Lin shocked the world with Linsanity, he was also academically gifted. After all, he is a graduate of Harvard University, which is well-respected around the world thanks to its

See Full Page