How an Ex-Lakers Champion Helped Blossom D’Angelo Russell Into a Star

He invested in him from a young age!

When we take a look at some of the greatest point guards from the 2000's decade, names such as Chris Paul, Steve Nash and Chauncey Billups Immediately come to mind. They pretty much defined what it meant to be a floor general at that time as they were able to lead their teams on both ends of the court while also being to score in their own unique ways. 

And your Los Angeles Lakers got to face off against one another iconic point guard of that time on many occasions in Rajon Rondo. The basketball community jokingly likes to get him confused with CP3 and while both of them are two of the smartest players in the game's history, Rondo had his own unique skillset. He was very unorthodox at times, the way that he brought the ball down the court and set up his teammates but he seemed to know how to get the best out of everyone.

It's pretty ironic that one of his rings came with the Boston Celtics and the other came with the Lakers but that just shows how he impacts winning. On top of that, current LA starting point guard D'Angelo Russell had the special opportunity to work with Rondo at a young age and study his game up close. There are few stars in the NBA right now that are better playmakers than Dlo no matter what the public opinion of him is right now and he confirmed that the former Lakers champion taught him plenty on 'The Pat Bev Podcast.'

"When I came up, Rondo coming to my practices as a freshman," said Russell. "Picking me up full, I'm guarding him full... he's stopping me and roughing me up. We playing five on five, I'm guarding him, he guarding me. So like my confidence my passing, he throw a pass, I throw a pass. We already had that game and then it just kind of clicked."

(Via The Pat Bev Podcast)

The best of players always invest in the next generation and pass down their knowledge. I'm sure plenty of fans expect Rondo to stay involved with the basketball community and likely join a coaching staff at some point.

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