{
  "id": 5258443,
  "title": "Rajon Rondo on how he was able to thrive with LeBron James on Lakers",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/03/rajon-rondo-on-how-he-was-able-to-thrive-with-lebron-james-on-lakers",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-03T05:35:18.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/rajon-rondo-able-thrive-lebron-053518671.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In the summer of 2018, the Los Angeles Lakers added veteran point guard Rajon Rondo to their roster, despite some skepticism about his age and reputation for being difficult to work with. However, Rondo quickly became an essential part of the team's success, helping the Lakers win the NBA championship in the 2019-20 season. When playing off the bench, Rondo served as the Lakers' second ball-handler and facilitator, working alongside LeBron James to create pace and set up plays.\n\nDespite concerns that the two alpha personalities might clash, Rondo focused on staying in his lane and respecting the team dynamic. He maintained that he had an opinion and was always willing to listen to the coaching staff, which fostered mutual respect between him and LeBron James. Rondo's dedication to his body and work ethic was widely recognized, as he averaged impressive statistics during the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons, including 8.1 points, 6.5 assists, and 4.1 rebounds per game. During the 2020 playoffs, Rondo continued to excel, contributing 8.9 points, 6.6 assists, and 4.3 rebounds per game while shooting 40% from beyond the arc.\n\nRondo's championship experience spans both the Lakers and the Boston Celtics, as he won a title with the Celtics in 2008. He has since returned to the Lakers for the 2021-22 season before being traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers later that season.",
  "summary": "Rajon Rondo said that he put his ego aside when he came to the Lakers and teamed up with LeBron James.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Yahoo Sports",
        "title": "Jason Kidd admits one thing that always riles up LeBron James about 2011 Mavericks title run",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/01/jason-kidd-admits-one-thing-that-always-riles-up-lebron-james-about",
        "published": "2026-09-01T08:26:02.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Times of India",
        "title": "LeBron James’ $25.5m foundation faced criticism: Why did Akron’s school spark questions?",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/02/lebron-james-25-5m-foundation-faced-criticism-why-did-akrons-school",
        "published": "2026-09-02T14:05:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}