Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant noted Rajon Rondo’s intense work ethic on film study, his playmaking, and defense as things that Lonzo Ball can pick up.
The Los Angeles Lakers had their biggest summer in recent years as they were able to lure the best player in the world in LeBron James to join the franchise last July.
Not only did the Lakers bring in James, they’ve also struck a one-year, $9 million deal with a four-time NBA All-Star in Rajon Rondo.
At 32 years old, Rondo is still one of the best point guards in the league. His joining the Lakers just boosts the team’s chances of making and going deep into the playoffs next year.
His presence can also help in developing ‘the future face of the franchise’, point guard, Lonzo Ball. And the former franchise player in Kobe Bryant, in his appearance at ‘The Rich Eisen Show’, believes that Ball can learn a lot from Rondo.
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"“I think there’s a lot to be learned from. Rondo is a student of the game. How he studies the game, I think that’s something Lonzo can learn from,” Bryant was quoted as saying by Dan Duangdao of Lakers Nation."
Bryant noted Rondo’s intense work ethic on film study, his playmaking, and defense as things that he can help Ball learn and further develop.
“Rondo will sit there and watch film for hours and hours and hours and hours. And dissect and pick things apart to the smallest of detail. I think it’s important for Lonzo to see that,” Bryant said.
“Also, how he facilitates the game, how he reads things happening before they actually happen, how he can manipulate the defense to make things happen. And also defensively, he gets after you. So I think it’s great,” he added.
While Ball, at his age (20), is already an outstanding playmaker, averaging 7.2 assists in his rookie year last season, he can still learn new tricks and improve under the tutelage of a ‘point god’ in Rondo.
The former NBA champion has averaged 8.5 assists in his career and led the league in assists per game thrice (2011-2012 at 11.7 I 2012-2013 at 11.1 I 2015-2016 at 11.7).
Rondo has also thrived during the playoffs, averaging 9.3 assists including his career-best 12.2 dimes per game with the New Orleans Pelicans last season.