The Los Angeles Lakers are the front-runners to win the 2020 NBA championship, especially after a blowout Game 1 win over a Miami Heat team that is now battling significant injury concerns. While the series is far from over, many are looking big-picture for story lines and, for Lakers guard Rajon Rondo, NBA history is in the balance.
Rondo can become the first player to win a championship with both the Lakers and the Boston Celtics and, before Game 2, he was asked by NBA TV’s Jared Greenberg about that potential feat.
"It's a humbling feeling to be a part of something so great.”
Rondo discusses the opportunity to be the first player to win a championship with both the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics. pic.twitter.com/6pu1BFknrs
— NBA TV (@NBATV) October 1, 2020
“It’s funny. I’ve always said that, even last year when I signed with the Lakers,” Rondo said. “I said that from the jump. I wanted to look up the history and see if any player has done it. What better way to end the back end or part of my career is winning another championship, and to do it with one of the most, if not the most, storied franchise in history. And to have the opportunity to have both the two most winning franchises is definitely something I’m looking forward to. It’s a humbling feeling to be a part of something so great, and to be blessed to play this game for so long.”
Though Rondo has transitioned into a role as a sometimes inconsistent role player in recent years, the veteran guard has been a crucial piece for the Lakers during this run. He is averaging 8.9 points, 6.9 assists, 3.7 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game and, perhaps most importantly, Rondo is knocking down 41.2 percent of his three-pointers and giving strong effort on the defensive side.
On one hand, it is perhaps more trivia than history to document the first player to win a title with a pair of franchises. On the other, the Lakers and Celtics are the clear top two when it comes to NBA franchises from a historical perspective, and it would be something quite cool to see a player win a title while operating as a key cog for both teams. Rondo is three wins away from doing just that.
Source: https://uproxx.com/dimemag/rajon-rondo-nba-history-lakers-celtics-finals-heat-interview-video/