For a kid growing up in Los Angeles, Kobe Bryant might have served as the inspiration to grow their game to an NBA level. In Cleveland or Akron, LeBron James might have been the muse.
When D’Angelo Russell was growing up in Louisville, Kentucky, it was Rajon Rondo acting as the example of what could be for him if he reached his full potential. Rondo had made it out and was competing for titles and earning All-Star bids with the Celtics, while Russell was just a high school kid with potential.
Russell has spoken in the past of how Rondo motivated him improve as a player when he was growing up, but he gave some of his most detailed thoughts on the subject yet in his recent appearance on the Vertical Podcast with Woj.