Photo Credit: Ty Nowell/Lakers.comondo

Rajon Rondo, The Los Angeles Lakers’ Newest Assistant Coach

Rajon Rondo is a floor general and one of the few remaining ‘true’ point guards in the league.

I have a very special appreciation for players like Rondo. You know, we see players like Stephen Curry make threes from near half court, we see Russell Westbrook flying through the air and murdering the rim, we see Kyrie Irving score points for fun, 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.

In my opinion, 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. These players often will become coaches, just like Jason Kidd, Mark Jackson, Jerry Stackhouse, Sam Cassell, and now, Rajon Rondo.

Rondo, who is currently sidelined with a broken hand, moved up to become an assistant coach last night against the Miami Heat. He was part of huddles, coaches huddles and had his own clipboard.

Rajon Rondo (broken hand) serving as a de facto assistant coach in this game.
He’s in the coaches huddles, has the clipboard, is standing during play – the whole deal. pic.twitter.com/4gzfCDg1qb

— Rachel Nichols (@Rachel__Nichols) November 19, 2018

Rajon Rondo joins the coaches huddle during a timeout. Rondo has been like a player-coach this season, holding impromptu players-only film sessions while trying to unlock the potential of the Baby Lakers. Rondo explains here why he can’t turn off his brain https://t.co/2rrH82neKG pic.twitter.com/yjhstVGdPr

— Ohm Youngmisuk (@NotoriousOHM) November 19, 2018