Lakers teammate Rondo reveals Lebron locker room influence
Lebron James has helped raise the commitment levels of the Los Angeles Lakers players since his arrival in the summer.
That is the view of Lakers teammate Rajon Rondo, Daily Express reported.
The Lakers begin their NBA campaign on Thursday against the Portland Trail Blazers with the major target being a place in playoffs next spring.
James joined the Lakers from the Cleveland Cavaliers, where he had played in four consecutive NBA Finals.
The 33-year-old has been more reserved in his predictions for the upcoming season but his winning mentality has already been evident according to Rondo.
“I was telling ‘Bron the other day we were on the plane, and I’ve never seen damn near 12 guys watching film,” Rondo told reporters.
“So that was very refreshing to see, understanding that this team is committed.
“But you know when Lebron talks on the plane, you know he was breaking down some film.
“I was one of the guys looking like, ‘What can I learn?’
“It’s great to have a guy like him on your team that’s willing to give you the knowledge and help make your game a lot easier.”
And Lakers head coach Luke Walton said there is an eagerness to learn within the squad.
“I got Kuz [Kyle Kuzma] texting me at 12:30 at night, the day after games with random clips he’s videoing on his phone and sending to me, asking me what he should do,” Walton said.
“Part of it is just going out and getting guys that love this game and want to get better.
“I think we have that here, and then it takes great leadership from veterans as well and we have that now too.”
Of their six preseason matches, the Lakers won three of their games, including back-to-back wins over NBA champions Golden State Warriors.
James’ first game as a Laker, against the Warriors, drew nearly two million viewers, making it ESPN’S most-watched preseason game ever.