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New Kings assistant Lieberman expects big year from Rondo

Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports

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It's part of her job, but count new Sacramento Kings assistant coach Nancy Lieberman as someone who's feeling positive about the team's prospects going into 2015-16.

In a year full of turmoil for the Kings, hiring the women's basketball legend as an assistant to George Karl has been perceived as one of the most normal things the team's done in months - even if Lieberman is only the second female assistant coach in NBA history.

Lieberman says she's specifically excited by what point guard Rajon Rondo can bring to Sacramento.

"I've known Rondo for a long time," Lieberman told KTHK Sports 1140's Grant Napear. "So for me, after what happened to him in Dallas, it was really hard for me to watch."

With a shrunken market for his services after deteriorating play and detonating his bridge with the Dallas Mavericks, Rondo signed a one-year, $10-million contract with the Kings.

"I gotta believe he wants to show everyone how good he is," Lieberman said of Rondo. "How he can lift his teammates. I really think he can flourish in (Karl's) system."

This month, Rondo said he loves proving doubters wrong. While the Kings are virtually no one's pick for a top-eight spot in the loaded Western Conference, it's plausible to envision an improved squad this season. If Rondo can put his ornery nature aside at strategic times, it behooves him to perform well - he'll be a free agent against next summer at age 30 with a skyrocketing salary cap.

"I think he wants to lead our team, but he also wants to be a part of the decision-making," Karl said of Rondo this month. "That can be somewhat combustible, but that also can work at a high level."

Lieberman said she's honored to join the San Antonio Spurs' Becky Hammon and become the second female assistant coach in the NBA, but insisted she's not focused on gender.

"I don't coach to be a woman, I coach to be a coach," Lieberman said. "If I didn't get this coaching job in Sacramento, I would have had a pretty nice run in my life. This thing means so much to me, I want so badly to give the best I can to George, our staff and our team."

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