Photo Credit: Derick E. Hingle/USA TODAY Sports

Rajon Rondo Praises New Teammate Lonzo Ball

When the Los Angeles Lakers signed Rajon Rondo to a one-year, $9 million deal, many thought that this could be the end of Lonzo Ball’s Lakers career.

Many say that the two are too similar, both are floor generals, pass-first point guards who couldn’t make a free throw (let alone a three pointer), if their life depended on it in.

But we rarely fully appreciate playmakers and floor generals in the NBA. Rondo has bounced around the league since he left Boston, but he will always provide a special kind of value for anyone who is lucky enough to have his services. Why should the signing be bad for Ball? It could be a great thing! A mentor for Lonzo.

The greatest honor or ability is to make others better within a team sport, where so many pieces have to work cohesively in order to be successful. It’s extraordinary to see a player enabling others to shine and display their full skillset, even when that player may be an inferior talent to them. For me, is it the absolute ultimate in a team environment. Rondo has already said that he wouldn’t mind coming off the bench and praised Ball during an interview.

“His IQ at 19 or 20-years old is probably one of the best I’ve ever seen, the game has ever seen. I love his unselfish way to play the game. He wants the best for his teammates. I think there are a lot of similarities we have and I look forward to teaching him as much as possible, and also, if he has some things I can learn from as well, I’ll definitely be open to it…”

Rondo on Lonzo: "I’m excited to get a player at that age and try to help him as much as I can, as far as understanding the game and getting his game up to speed at a high level."

— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) July 6, 2018