LeBron James names former Boston Celtics rival and teammate as "highest basketball IQ player"

The podcast of LeBron James and JJ Redick just hit the airwaves and there are a lot to unpack from the knowledge from the four-time NBA champion. One of the intriguing questions thrown to James was about the basketball player that he thinks has the highest IQ in the league and gave quite an interesting answer.

Known also as a player who has a high basketball IQ, many are wondering who LeBron thinks and praises who has a similar or greater trait. As the four-time NBA MVP revealed, it was his former rival turned teammate Rajon Rondo as his answer to Redick's question.

"Rajon Rondo, for sure," answered James at the 25:40 mark. "He has, he can process, flip, do things on the go, like, it is very weird for me that he is not coaching at a high level, I think it is because he doesn’t wanna do it. It is a lot. Who wants to deal with all these rich entitled guys all the time?"

James and Rondo faced numerous times in the early 2010s as the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics formed a rivalry. Both players have memorable battles in the NBA playoffs and not many anticipated that they would be teammates years later winning a championship with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Rajon Rondo admires LeBron James more than just a basketball player

While Rajon Rondo and LeBron James gave basketball fans a treat whenever competing against each other playing together, the two cerebral basketball players formed a bond throughout the years.

As Rondo became a teammate of James as well, he got to know the 20-time NBA All-Star and compares him on both on and off the basketball court. More than just an athlete and a teammate, Rondo admires LeBron on his dedication to be with his family despite handling a busy schedule.

“What I love about him mostly is a lot of team bonding," said Rondo in JJ Redick's podcast at te 43:31 mark "He's all for the team, he's all for the family. You see it with his daily life as his father and his role in his own family's life, so he kind of has that same role and mindset with the team."

Fast forward today, LeBron James is still actively playing in the NBA after 21 seasons. On the other hand, Rajon Rondo last played in the league back in 2022 for the Cleveland Cavaliers.