Academic Excellence Takes Center Stage in College Basketball
The National Association of Basketball Coaches revealed the 2025‑26 Team Excellence and Honors Court awardees on Tuesday, spotlighting student‑athletes who have excelled both on the hardwood and in the classroom.
To qualify for the Honors Court, a player must maintain a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.2 across the previous semester, a standard that this year was met by more than 2,300 men’s basketball participants nationwide.
In addition, the association honored 400 programs with its Team Academic Excellence award, recognizing squads that collectively achieved a team GPA of 3.0 or higher.
Among the individual honorees are players from Eastern Illinois and Lindenwood, whose names appeared on the list released by the NABC.
The recognition underscores a growing emphasis on academic performance within college basketball, as coaches and administrators increasingly highlight the importance of balancing athletic commitments with scholarly achievement.