Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant thinks Rajon Rondo will be great for the development of second-year point guard Lonzo Ball.
Even though Rondo and Ball will be competing to earn the starting point guard spot in training camp, Rondo has said multiple times this offseason he’s excited to teach Ball what he knows about the game.
Bryant, who has had many battles with Rondo in the past, believes Ball can learn a lot from Rondo.
“I think there’s a lot to be learned from,” Bryant said on The Rich Eisen Show. “Rondo is a student of the game. How he studies the game, I think that’s something Lonzo can learn from. 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. 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.”
Rondo signed a one-year, $9 million free agent deal with the Lakers in July. He spent last season with the New Orleans Pelicans and averaged 8.3 points, 4.0 rebounds and 8.2 assists during the regular season while shooting 46.8 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from three.
In the 2018 playoffs, Rondo took his game to another level. He posted 10.3 points, 7.6 rebounds and 12.2 assists per game and helped the Pelicans sweep the Portland Trail Blazers in the first-round.
Lonzo Ball, who underwent surgery on his left knee this summer, is expected to be ready for training camp. The former UCLA Bruin played in 52 games during his rookie season and averaged 10.2 points, 6.9 rebounds and 7.2 assists, shooting 36.0 percent from the field and 30.5 percent from three.
