Rajon Rondo has been through a lot during his career although there is no denying what he has meant to his teams over the years. He is an NBA champion and whenever the playoffs come around, it feels like he kicks things into high gear, hence the name Playoff Rondo. This has been especially true for the Lakers this season as Rondo has flourished in the bubble.
Rondo was with this group through their struggles last season and in a report from Jackie MacMullan of ESPN, it appears as though he made quite an impression in that first year. In fact, Rondo reportedly got on LeBron James' case last season due to poor body language. As Rondo explains, LeBron would get upset with the young players which would discourage them. Rondo made sure LeBron wouldn't continue that behavior since he was setting an example.
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Via ESPN:
“‘When guys are making the same mistakes over and over and over, it’s hard to bite your tongue,’ Rondo says, ‘but I tried to get [James] to focus on his body language … Those young guys were looking at everything he did. If they missed four shots in a row and LeBron was making a face, it was crushing to them. He was their Michael Jordan. They didn’t want to let him down. But if LeBron said one thing positive to Brandon Ingram or Kyle Kuzma, they immediately were back to their old selves.'”
With the Lakers two games away from an NBA championship, it's clear that Rondo's presence has helped tremendously.
[Via]