Rondo is a Kentucky guy, as is Kings big man and franchise cornerstone DeMarcus Cousins — and Rondo sees a lot of himself in Cousins. The challenging temperament that can have coaches, teammates and fans oscillating between love and extreme frustration. Rondo was guided through that by teammates such as Kevin Garnett and coach Doc Rivers, now Rondo wants to pay that forward to Cousins.
The guard told David Aldridge of NBA.com.
“That was part of the reason I wanted to come here,” Rondo said. “If I didn’t have a guy like KG in my ear all the time, a coach like Doc, who knows where I’d be in this league — if I’d even be in this league. I’ve been wanting to play with Cuz for four or five years now. I think he’s the best big — he is the best big in the game. And with a little bit of direction, even as far as his knowledge of the game, he can take even a bigger step in this game. I’m enjoying it. He’s listening, he’s embraced it.”
“I know his intentions,” Cousins said. “His intentions at the end of the day are the same as mine. I can never have a disagreement with a guy like that. Every night we try to go out and do whatever it takes to win the game. You have a guy like that on the floor with you, it’s hard to have disagreements … I know his heart is to win the game. That’s why he’s the most unselfish player I’ve ever played with.”
