Getty Rajon Rondo with LeBron James.
Rajon Rondo may have left the Los Angeles Lakers this offseason but he’ll forever be a big part of the team’s history thanks to his strong performance in last season’s playoffs. He was continuously questioned by fans over the last two years due to poor performances in the regular season. However, he proved once again that he can flip a switch in the playoffs.
Despite no longer being with the team, he still has a lot of admiration for LeBron James. Rondo was recently on the All the Smoke podcast and revealed what he learned from the superstar.
“He got the best guy working on his body in the game,” Rondo said.
Rajon Rondo on what he’s learned from LeBron James in the two seasons they were together during his appearance on the All The Smoke podcast video courtesy of @Showtime:
LeBron may be getting up there in age — nearly over the hill at 35 — but he’s still playing like he’s in his 20s. As Rondo pointed out, it’s because he takes such good care of his body. Rondo is around the same age as LeBron so he probably took note of how the superstar has been able to stay effective.
ALL the latest Los Angeles Lakers news straight to your inbox! Join the Heavy on Lakers newsletter here!
Sign up for the Heavy on Lakers Newsletter!
Is LeBron Still the Best Player in the NBA?
After a disappointing first year in Los Angeles, it was fair to wonder if LeBron’s best years were behind him. Nobody thought he’d be bad heading into last season but not many could’ve foreseen him putting up MVP-level numbers. This year, nobody is doubting him.
In a survey of eight NBA executives done by ESPN, seven of them chose LeBron as the best player in the league. The one that picked against him still said that LeBron is probably the best in the world when it comes playoff time: “If we’re talking about the best player over the course of a season, I’m not picking LeBron,” said the Eastern Conference executive who picked Antetokounmpo instead. “If we are talking about in the playoffs, it’s probably LeBron, because he always is.”
Any notion that Giannis Antetokounmpo is better than LeBron has pretty much evaporated. While the Milwaukee Bucks star is great, he still needs to prove he can win in the playoffs before he can take the crown from LeBron.
How Many More Years of Dominance Does LeBron Have Left?
LeBron didn’t show any signs of slowing down last season, but he also got a big break due to the delay caused by the novel coronavirus pandemic. He’s very unlikely to get that big a rest before the playoffs again. This year should give us a clearer picture of if whether or not LeBron can still play a high level for a whole season.
Until he falters, there’s no reason to believe he can’t. He still keeps his body in excellent shape and there’s no doubt that the Lakers have plans to keep him fresh this year. Plus, he’s got a young superstar teammate in Anthony Davis. LeBron won’t need to ball out every night for Los Angeles to win. If he puts up another MVP-level season, it’s fair to suggest that he’ll be the best in the world for at least a couple more seasons.
READ NEXT: Giannis Antetokounmpo Wanted Bucks to Land Lakers Guard: Report