Rajon Pierre Rondo Sr. (/ˈrɑːʒɒn/; born February 22, 1986) is an American former professionalbasketball player. Rondo won twoNBA championships, was selected four times as anNBA All-Star, earned fourNBA All-Defensive Team honors including two First Team honors, and was named to theAll-NBA Third Team in 2012.
Rondo played two years ofcollege basketball for theKentucky Wildcats before being drafted 21st overall by thePhoenix Suns in the2006 NBA draft and immediately traded to theBoston Celtics. As the team's startingpoint guard, Rondo helped the Celtics win theNBA Finals in2008 and return in2010. Rondo was a versatile facilitator, leading the league in assists three times and in steals once; he ranks fourth in Celtics history in assists and third in steals. Rondo has been described as a "stat-sheet stuffer"[1] as his 32 regular seasontriple-doubles rank 16th in NBA history,[2] while his 10 in the playoffs rank sixth.[3][4] He is regarded as one of the Celtics' greatest point guards ever.
After8+1⁄2 seasons with the Celtics, Rondo was traded to theDallas Mavericks in December 2014. After a tumultuous five-month stint he turned into ajourneyman, joining theSacramento Kings,Chicago Bulls,New Orleans Pelicans,Los Angeles Lakers (two stints),Atlanta Hawks,Los Angeles Clippers, andCleveland Cavaliers over the next7+1⁄2 years. He won a second championship in2020 with the Lakers.
Rondo was born on February 22, 1986, inLouisville, Kentucky.[5] He has three siblings.[6] He had little contact with his father, who left his family when he was seven years old.[6] To support the family, his mother worked the third shift atPhilip Morris USA, a tobacco company.[6] Rondo was first interested infootball, before his mother steered him towards basketball because she felt that the sport would be less punishing on his skinny frame.[6]
After Rondo became serious about basketball, he attended Louisville'sEastern High School for three years. During hisjunior year at Eastern High School, he averaged 27.9points, 10.0rebounds and 7.5assists which earned him a spot on the All-State honors and was named the 7th Region Player of the Year. He transferred to Virginia'sOak Hill Academy for hissenior year where he averaged 21.0points per game (ppg), 3.0rebounds per game (rpg) and 12.0assists per game (apg) and finished the 2003–04 season with a 38–0 record.[7] In hissenior year at Oak Hill Academy, Rondo brokeJeff McInnis's single-season school record of 303 assists, while averaging adouble-double. There, he included two efforts of 27 assists and a single-game school record of 31, merely four away from the all-time national record.[7] He also had a 55-point game inhigh-school, second highest all-time in Oak Hill Academy, surpassed only by Calvin Duncan with 61.[8] Rondo was named to theMcDonald's All-American Team in 2004 and scored a total of 14 points, 4 assists and 4 rebounds in the all-star game.[9] He also participated in the 2004Jordan Brand Capital Classic game, logging 12 points, 5 assists and 4 steals.[10] Rondo was also named a second-teamParade All-American. He ended his career as Oak Hill Academy's all-time assists leader in a single season with 494 assists, surpassing McInnis.[11]
Rondo committed toKentucky over hometownLouisville.[12] Rondo, along withAll-AmericansJoe Crawford andRandolph Morris, gave coachTubby Smith and Kentucky the top-rated recruiting class for 2004 according toRivals.com.[13] Rondo led Kentucky to several wins including victories againstLouisville,South Carolina andCentral Florida, but Kentucky failed to advance to theFinal Four of theNCAA Tournament in either Rondo's freshman or sophomore seasons. He was named to theSEC All-Freshmen Team.[14] He set aKentucky record for most steals in single-season, with a total of 87 steals in his freshman year and made at least one steal in every game.[15] He finished his freshman year at Kentucky averaging 8.1 points, 2.9 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.6 steals.[16]
In hissophomore year he had a career-high 12 assists againstOle Miss, despite playing just 23 minutes, and 25 points against Louisville.[17] Rondo also set another Kentucky record for most rebounds in a game by a guard, with 19 rebounds in an early season loss toIowa.[18] He was not known for being a shooter, however, going 18–66 from thethree-point line with a 57.1 percentfree throw average. He averaged 11.2 points, 6.1 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 2.1 steals per game in his sophomore year.[16] Rondo was also named to the U.S. men's national under-21 basketball team, which traveled toArgentina for the2005 FIBA Under-21 World Championship.[19] He averaged 11.0 points and 4.5 assists in the eight-game tournament, garnering much attention from NBA scouts. The U.S. men's national under-21 basketball team won the gold medal at the Global Games held inTexas in late July.[citation needed]
Following the 2005–06 NCAA season, Rondo announced he would forgo his final two seasons at Kentucky and enter the NBA draft.[20] Rondo was drafted 21st overall by thePhoenix Suns in the2006 NBA draft. Phoenix then traded him to theBoston Celtics along withBrian Grant for theCleveland Cavaliers' first-round draft pick in the2007 NBA draft and cash considerations.[21] He was the firstpoint guard to be chosen in the draft.[22] Rondo was signed by the Celtics on July 4, 2006.[23]
Duringhis rookie season in the NBA, Rondo played a supporting role and would split time withSebastian Telfair andDelonte West. Rondo only started in 25 games that season due to his initial backup role to Telfair. He made his NBA regular season debut on November 1, 2006, in a home loss against theNew Orleans Hornets.[24] In his rookie season, he lacked on his jump shot which resulted in himslashing to the basket for a teardrop or layup. While coming off the bench, he managed to score a career-high 23 points against the Toronto Raptors,[5] and record his first careerdouble-double in a road losing effort against theWashington Wizards.[25] In his first career start, he matched his career-high against theLos Angeles Clippers, though the line-ups were constantly being shuffled between Telfair and Rondo at the point guard.[5] After officially becoming a starter, he began to receive more playing time (career-high 47 minutes of playing time)[5] that led to an improvement in production (career-high 14 rebounds against theSan Antonio Spurs,[26] and a career-high 7 steals against theIndiana Pacers).[5] As the mid-season approached, his numbers began to increase,[27] which earned him anNBA All-Rookie Second Team selection.[28] He finished the season with an average of 6.4 ppg and 3.8 apg,[29] ranking in the top ten in the NBA in steals (128)[30] and also ranking in the top ten among rookies in several other categories, including first in steals, second in assists and sixth in minutes.[27] In the end, however, the Celtics finished the season with a 24–58 win–loss record and failed to qualify forthe playoffs.
After Telfair and West were traded during the off-season of the2007–08 season, Rondo secured a spot in thestarting lineup, starting in every game. Surrounded byAll-StarsKevin Garnett,Paul Pierce andRay Allen, he quickly became a steady, consistent player.[31] In his 77 games played, he averaged 10.6 points per game (ppg), 5.1 assists per game (apg) and 4.2 rebounds per game (rpg).[29] His role as a playmaker reflected in him leading the team in assists and steals. In a game against theNew Jersey Nets, Rondo suffered a lower back injury late in the third quarter, forcing him to miss the next four games.[32] He made his successful return from injury and to the starting lineup in a road win against theNew York Knicks.[33] A week later, he matched his career-high against theMiami Heat,[34] and then scored a career-high 24 points in a home game against theLos Angeles Clippers the following month.[35] During the All-Star break, he was selected to play on the Sophomore Team in theT-MobileRookie Challenge and Youth Jam.[36] Following the All-Star weekend, Rondo recorded a career-high 16 assists in a home victory against the Charlotte Bobcats.[37] Despite his solid rookie year, there was much speculation about Boston needing a veteran point guard.[38] In March, they signed veteran point guardSam Cassell as afree agent to serve as a backup.[38] The Celtics' best single-season improvement in NBA history earned them the number one seed in the Eastern Conference Playoffs.
Following the regular season, Rondo finished in the top five for theNBA Most Improved Player voting.[39] Rondo made his playoff debut on April 20, 2008, against the Atlanta Hawks and finished the game with 15 points, 9 assists and 2 steals. The Celtics closed out the series in seven games, went on to defeatCleveland in the next round, and then beat the Pistons in theEastern Conference Finals. In the NBA Finals, facing theLos Angeles Lakers, Rondo recorded two strong performances, including a career-high 16 assists in Game 2. In Game 3, however, Rondo left the court in the third quarter after rolling his ankle.[40] The ankle injury was considered a "non-factor," and Rondo eventually made his return in Game 4.[41] In Game 6, the point guard posted a playoffs career-high 6 steals as the Celtics defeated the Lakers 4–2, giving Rondo his first NBAchampionship ring. After the game Lakers head coachPhil Jackson called Rondo the "star" of Game 6.[38]
In histhird NBA campaign, the Celtics began the season with the best starting record inNBA history and also set a franchise record with a nineteen-game winning streak.[42] Rondo's numbers increased from his previous season performance; however, he was criticized for his shooting.[43] He recorded his first career triple-double along with a career-high in assists (16 points, 13 rebounds and 17 assists), against theIndiana Pacers.[44] In a home win against theNew York Knicks, Rondo led the team to tie a franchise record with 18 straight wins.[45] However, after the winning streak was snapped, the team struggled as they lost seven out of their next nine games.[46] Rondo—matched up with one of the league's quicker guards,Tony Parker—recorded 16 assists in a losing effort against theSpurs, one short of his season-high.[47] Less than a week later against theMavericks, he recorded his second career triple-double (19 points, 15 rebounds and 14 assists),[48] and then recorded a career-high 32 points against thePhoenix Suns on his 23rd birthday.[49] He became the first NBA athlete to sign an endorsement contract withRed Bull on April 17, 2009.[50] He finished the season ranking fifth in the NBA in assists (8.2) and steals (1.9).[51] The team finished the season as the second seed in the Eastern Conference, although they enteredthe playoffs without their injured All-Star power forward Kevin Garnett.
In the playoffs match-up against theChicago Bulls, despite putting up a playoff career-high 29 points in Game 1, the Celtics lost in overtime.[52] Boston won the next two games and in Games 2 and 4, Rondo recordedtriple-doubles[53] and became the first Celtic player with two triple-doubles in the same series sinceLarry Bird in 1986. He also became the first player with multiple triple-doubles in the same playoff series since Jason Kidd had three triple-doubles in the2002 Eastern Conference Finals.[54] In Game 6, he recorded a career-high 19 assists without aturnover, tying an NBA playoffs record.[55] In the next round against theOrlando Magic, the Celtics lost the first game before Rondo's triple-double performance in Game 2 helped secure a home win. His third triple-double of the postseason tiedLarry Bird's franchise record and also became the first to do that since Jason Kidd had four.[56] However, the Celtics were defeated in seven games in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.[57] During the postseason, Rondo nearly averaged a triple double with 16.9 points, 9.7 rebounds and 9.8 assists.[58]
During the2009–10 season, Rondo averaged career highs in points (13.7), assists (9.8) and steals (2.3) and became the first Celtic to lead the league in steals.[59] On November 2, 2009, Rondo signed a five-year extension with the Celtics worth a guaranteed $55 million.[60] In a road victory against the Orlando Magic onChristmas day, Rondo recorded 17 points, 13 rebounds and 8 assists, two assists shy of a triple double.[61] Three days later, Rondo scored 30 points with 15 assists in a road loss to theGolden State Warriors.[62] On January 10, 2010, Rondo recorded his third regular season career triple-double, with 22 points, 13 assists and 10 rebounds against the Toronto Raptors.[63] On January 28, 2010, he received his first NBA All-Star selection as a reserve on theEastern Conference squad for the2010 NBA All-Star Game.[64] He also competed in the 2010H-O-R-S-E contest but lost in the finals toKevin Durant.[65] Rondo recorded his fourth regular season career triple-double against the Denver Nuggets on March 24, 2010, with 11 points, 15 assists and 11 rebounds.[66] Two days later against theSacramento Kings, Rondo entered the game tied withRick Fox for a franchise record of most steals in a single-season (167), eventually establishing the record with a second-quarter steal fromSean May.[67] In a game against theHouston Rockets on April 2, 2010, he brokeBob Cousy's franchise record for most assists in a single-season.[68]
In the2010 NBA Playoffs, the Celtics defeated theMiami Heat in five games and faced theCleveland Cavaliers in the second round. In Game 2, Rondo dished out 19 assists tying his career-high and also tying a franchise record for most assists in a playoff game.[69] In Game 4, he recorded his fourth postseason triple-double along with a playoff career-high 29 points and 18 rebounds.[70] He joinedWilt Chamberlain andOscar Robertson as the only other player in NBA history to have 29 points, 18 rebounds and 13 assists in a playoff game.[71] The Celtics eventually defeated the Cavaliers and the Orlando Magic in the Eastern Conference Finals in six games.[72] In theFinals, the Celtics once again faced theLos Angeles Lakers, a team they previously beat in2008. In Game 2, Rondo recorded his second triple-double of the postseason (19 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists),[73] however, despite Rondo's performance, the Celtics succumbed to the Lakers in seven games.[74]
In the first game of the2010–11 season, Rondo put up 17 assists, which tied with Oscar Robertson for the third-most assists in a season opener.[75] In the third game of the season, he dished out a career-high 24 assists along with a triple-double (10 points and 10 rebounds) against theNew York Knicks.[76] It tied him withIsiah Thomas as the only players in NBA history to have at least 24 assists in a triple-double.[77] His total of 50 assists through the first three games of the season tiedJohn Stockton's NBA record for most assists in the first 3 games of the season.[77] In the next game against theDetroit Pistons, he finished the game with 17 assists for a total of 67 assists, which is the most assists in the team's first four games in NBA history.[78] With a 15 assists effort the following day, Rondo again set a record for most assists through the first five games.[79]
Rondo's season also began with injuries. He played throughplantar fasciitis in his feet.[80] He missed three games in November due to a strained left hamstring.[81] He sprained his left ankle in a win against theNew York Knicks on December 15, 2010, and missed the next seven games.[82] On April 22, in the third game of the first-round playoff series against theNew York Knicks, Rondo had a triple-double with 20 assists.[83] Rondo set a Celtics franchise record for most assists in a playoff game. He was also tied withLeBron James with 6 career triple-doubles in the playoffs until James reached his seventh further on in the playoffs during Game 4 of the Finals.[83] Rondo had the third best selling jersey in the league during the 2010–11 season, behind only James andKobe Bryant.[84]
On February 21, 2012, Rondo was named an injury replacement forJoe Johnson on the Eastern Conference roster at the2012 NBA All-Star Game.[85] With 18 points, 17 rebounds, and 20 assists against the Knicks on March 4, he joinedWilt Chamberlain,Magic Johnson, andJason Kidd as the only players to have at least 15 points, rebounds, and assists in the same game.[86] In a win against the Heat on April 1, Rondo registered another triple-double (16 points, 14 assists and 11 rebounds).[87] Rondo closed out the regular season with 24 consecutive games of 10 or more assists. This is not only a Celtics franchise record, but is also the longest streak the NBA has seen sinceJohn Stockton logged a streak of 29 such games in 1992. This streak was still considered active and resumed at the beginning of the 2012–13 regular season.[88]
Rondo posted his sixth triple-double of the season (with 20 assists) in an overtime win against the Hawks on April 11.[89] He had his first triple double of the 2012 playoffs against the same team on May 4,[90] another on May 13 in the first game of the second round against the 76ers,[91] and a third on May 26 in the last game of that round, helping the Celtics advance to the Eastern Conference finals.[92] He joinedLarry Bird as the only Celtics players to record a triple-double in a Game 7.[93] In Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals, Rondo scored a career-high 44 points while grabbing 8 rebounds and adding 10 assists.[94] According to theElias Sports Bureau, Rondo is the only player in NBA history with 44 points, 10 assists, and 8 rebounds in a playoff game.[94] On June 6, 2012, Rondo passedBob Cousy for having 39 playoff games of 10 or more assists, making him the Celtics' all-time leader in that area.[95] Rondo recorded another triple double in the seventh game of the Eastern Conference Finals, but the Celtics lost to theMiami Heat, ending their playoff run. This tenth playoff triple-double tied Rondo for third (with fellow Celtic Larry Bird) among NBA career leaders.[96]
Rondo began the season with 24 consecutive games of 10+ assists. He continued that streak, and recorded his 37th game with 10+ assists against theOrlando Magic on November 25, 2012, matching John Stockton's longest streak. OnlyMagic Johnson had a longer streak (46 games). The streak ended the next game against theBrooklyn Nets, when he was ejected for fighting withKris Humphries after Humphries fouled Rondo's teammate Kevin Garnett. Humphries was also ejected, along with Brooklyn'sGerald Wallace, who was accused of escalating the incident.[97] Rondo only recorded three assists before he was ejected. Rondo was voted the starting point guard spot for the2013 NBA All-Star Game, but on January 27, 2013, during a game with the Miami Heat, it was revealed that Rondo had torn hisACL and would miss the remainder of the season.[98] Rondo still led the NBA in assists in the season.
On January 15, 2014, Rondo was assigned to theMaine Red Claws of theNBA D-League for training and rehab purposes.[99] Later that day, he was recalled by the Celtics.[100]
On January 17, 2014, Rondo made his season debut with the Celtics, nearly a year after tearing his ACL. In 19 minutes of game time, he recorded 8 points, 4 assists and 2 rebounds in a 104–107 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.[101] Upon his return, he was named the 15th captain in Boston Celtics history.[102] On February 2, 2014, in a 96–89 win over theMagic, Rondo recorded his first double-double since his injury (19 points, 10 assists).[103] On April 4, 2014, Rondo recorded his first triple-double of the season with 11 points, 11 rebounds and 16 assists, in a 102–111 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers.[104]
On September 26, 2014, Rondo was ruled out for six to eight weeks after undergoing surgery to repair a broken left hand. The injury was a result of a fall at his home the night before.[105][106] After missing the entire preseason, Rondo returned for the regular season opener on October 29 and recorded 13 points, 12 assists and seven rebounds in 30 minutes to help the Celtics beat theBrooklyn Nets 121–105.[107] On November 5, he recorded 13 points, 10 rebounds and 15 assists against theToronto Raptors.[108] On December 2, he recorded 19 assists and 12 rebounds against theAtlanta Hawks.[108] On December 7, he recorded 13 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists against theWashington Wizards.[108] On December 10, he recorded 12 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists against theCharlotte Hornets.[108] On December 17, in his final game as a Celtic, Rondo recorded 13 points, 15 assists and seven rebounds in a 109–92 win over theOrlando Magic.[108][109]
On December 18, 2014, Rondo was traded, along withDwight Powell, to theDallas Mavericks in exchange forJae Crowder,Jameer Nelson,Brandan Wright, a 2015 first-round pick and a 2016 second-round pick.[110] He made his debut for the Mavericks two days later, scoring six points on 3-for-11 shooting to go with nine assists and seven rebounds in a 99–93 win over theSan Antonio Spurs.[111] In his return to Boston on January 2, 2015, Rondo scored a career-high 15 first-quarter points, finishing with a season-best 29 to lead Dallas to a 119–101 victory. Rondo also had a career-high five 3-pointers and finished with six rebounds and five assists.[112] Throughout January however, cracks began to appear in the relationship between Rondo and the Mavericks. Rondo struggled to fit in the Mavericks' system, and he often butted heads with head coachRick Carlisle. While there were no reported issues off the court, Rondo's lack of chemistry with his teammates was noticeable throughout the season.[113][114] And while the Mavericks' defense slightly improved with the acquisition of Rondo, their offense took a noticeable step backward,[113] dropping from the best in the league to fourth in points per game by late February.[115] In late April, Rondo and the Mavericks mutually agreed to part ways following a tumultuous end to the season. Rondo was benched after Game 2 of the Mavericks' first-round playoff series against theHouston Rockets and didn't play again as Dallas was eliminated in five games. The team claimed that a back injury had sidelined Rondo indefinitely, but reports later surfaced that that was simply to "save face" after the two sides decided to part ways.[114] His teammates also reportedly opted not to give him a playoff share.[114]
On July 13, 2015, Rondo signed a one-year, $10 million contract with theSacramento Kings.[116][117] He made his debut for the Kings in their season opener on October 28, 2015, recording four points, seven rebounds and four assists in a 111–104 loss to theLos Angeles Clippers.[118] Two days later, he recorded 21 points and eight assists in a 132–114 win over theLos Angeles Lakers.[119] On November 13, he recorded his third triple-double in four games and 25th of his career with 23 points, 10 rebounds and 14 assists in a 111–109 win over theBrooklyn Nets.[120] On November 18, he recorded his fourth triple-double of the season with 12 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists in a 103–97 loss to theAtlanta Hawks.[121] On November 23, he recorded 14 points and a season-high 20 assists in a 127–122 overtime loss to theCharlotte Hornets.[122] On November 27, he had 16 points and 16 assists in a 101–91 loss to theMinnesota Timberwolves. He became the first player since 1977–78 to have 16 points, 16 assists and no turnovers in a game.[123]
Rondo was ejected from the Kings' December 3 game against the Boston Celtics byBill Kennedy, and in response, Rondo called Kennedy a "faggot". Kennedy publicly came out as gay just over a week later, and Rondo was suspended by the NBA for one game without pay on December 14.[124][125] After posting two statements on Twitter that were widely panned as not being apologetic, Rondo issued a more contrite apology on December 15.[126]
On January 23, 2016, Rondo recorded his fifth triple-double of the season with 11 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists in a 108–97 win over theIndiana Pacers.[127] Two days later, he had 20 assists and 10 rebounds in a 129–128 double-overtime loss to the Hornets, thus recording 10 or more assists in 12 straight games, a Sacramento record.[128] The streak ended at 14 games.[129] On February 19, he recorded a near triple-double with a then season-high 24 points, 10 rebounds, nine assists and five steals in a 116–110 win over theDenver Nuggets.[130] On February 29, Rondo had 11 points, 12 assists and nine rebounds in a 131–116 loss to theOklahoma City Thunder. He reached double figures in assists for the 39th time in 2015–16, tying a Sacramento record established byReggie Theus in 1985–86.[131] On March 25, he had 12 assists against thePhoenix Suns and passed Theus' record.[132] On April 5, he recorded his sixth triple-double of the season with a season-high 27 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds in a 115–107 loss to thePortland Trail Blazers,[133] setting a Kings franchise record for triple-doubles in a season.[134]
On July 7, 2016, Rondo signed a two-year, $28 million contract with theChicago Bulls.[135][136] He made his debut for the Bulls in their season opener on October 27, recording 4 points, 6 rebounds, 9 assists and 2 steals in a 105–99 win over theBoston Celtics.[137] On November 10, he had a then season-best game with 16 points and 12 assists in a 98–95 win over theMiami Heat.[138] On December 2, he recorded his first triple-double of the season with 15 points, 12 assists and 11 rebounds in a 111–105 win over theCleveland Cavaliers.[139] Three days later, he was suspended by the Bulls for one game for conduct detrimental to the team.[140] On January 10, 2017, Rondo scored 12 points against theWashington Wizards in his first game since December 30.[141] In that December 30 game, he posted a plus-minus rating of minus-20 during 11 first-half minutes in Chicago's 111–101 loss to theIndiana Pacers. He was subsequently removed from coachFred Hoiberg's rotation for five games before being reinserted following injuries toDwyane Wade andJimmy Butler.[141] On March 13, 2017, he scored a season-high 20 points and had six assists and seven rebounds in his first start since December 30 as the Bulls beat theCharlotte Hornets 115–109.[142] He bested that mark on March 21, scoring 24 points in a 122–120 overtime loss to theToronto Raptors.[143] On April 1, he had a season-high 25 points and added 11 rebounds in a 106–104 win over theAtlanta Hawks.[144] On April 21, Rondo was ruled out indefinitely after breaking his right thumb in Game 2 of the Bulls' first-round playoff series against the Celtics.[145] While the Bulls went up 2–0 in the series with Rondo, they never found their rhythm over the final four games without Rondo; as a result, they lost to the Celtics in six games.[146] On June 30, 2017, he was waived by the Bulls.[147]
On July 19, 2017, Rondo signed a one-year, $3.3 million contract with theNew Orleans Pelicans.[148][149] On October 8, 2017, he was diagnosed with a sports hernia.[150] Two days later, he underwent surgery and was ruled out for four to six weeks.[151] He made his debut for the Pelicans on November 13, 2017, against theAtlanta Hawks, recording two points and two assists in about five minutes in the first half.[152] He made his first start of the season two days later, recording four points and eight assists in 14 minutes in a 125–116 loss to theToronto Raptors.[153] On December 10, 2017, he recorded 13 points and 18 assists in a 131–124 win over thePhiladelphia 76ers.[154] On December 27, 2017, he set a franchise record with a career-high 25 assists in a 128–113 win over theBrooklyn Nets.[155] He brokeChris Paul's mark with his 22nd assist and became just the seventh player in NBA history to reach 25 assists in a game, joiningScott Skiles,John Stockton,Jason Kidd,Kevin Johnson,Nate McMillan andIsiah Thomas.[155] On January 8, 2018, Rondo had 12 points and 15 assists in a 112–109 win over theDetroit Pistons. He had nine of his assists in the first quarter, tying a franchise record.[156] On February 10, 2018, he recorded 25 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds in a 138–128 double overtime win over theBrooklyn Nets.[157] In the Pelicans' regular season finale on April 11, 2018, Rondo had 19 points and 14 assists in a 122–98 win over theSan Antonio Spurs.[158] In Game 1 of the Pelicans' first-round playoff series against thePortland Trail Blazers, Rondo tied a franchise record with 17 assists to go with eight rebounds and six points in a 97–95 win.[159][160] In Game 2, Rondo had 16 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists in a 111–102 win.[161] In Game 4, Rondo had 16 assists, as the Pelicans completed a first-round sweep of the Trail Blazers with a 131–123 victory.[162] In the second round against theGolden State Warriors, Rondo had 21 assists in Game 3, the Pelicans' only win before being eliminated in five games.[163]
On July 6, 2018, Rondo signed a one-year, $9 million contract with theLos Angeles Lakers,[164][165] who expected him to mentor and compete with second-year point guardLonzo Ball.[166] In his debut for the Lakers in their season opener on October 18, Rondo recorded 13 points and 11 assists in a 128–119 loss to thePortland Trail Blazers.[167] Two days later, in a game against theHouston Rockets, Rondo andChris Paul got into a fist fight over a shove byBrandon Ingram delivered toJames Harden. The conflict, worsened due to Paul's claim that Rondo spat on him,[168] resulted in Rondo receiving a three-game suspension.[169] After breaking his right hand in a 126–117 win over the Trail Blazers on November 14,[170][171] Rondo was ruled out for four to five weeks.[172] In his return game on December 21 after missing 17 games, Rondo had eight points and nine assists off the bench in a 112–104 win over theNew Orleans Pelicans.[173] On December 25 against theGolden State Warriors, after just three games back from his hand injury, Rondo suffered a sprain to his right ring finger.[174] He underwent surgery three days later and was subsequently ruled out for an estimated four to five weeks.[174] He returned to action on January 24, 2019, after missing 14 games, recording 15 points, 13 assists and six rebounds in a 120–105 loss to theMinnesota Timberwolves.[175] On February 7, he hit a 20-foot jumper as time expired in Boston to lift the Lakers to a 129–128 win over the Celtics, as he finished with 17 points and 10 assists. It was his first career go-ahead field goal in the final 10 seconds of the fourth quarter or overtime.[176] On March 4, Rondo moved to 11th place in triple-doubles in NBA history, while also becoming the second player (the other beingMark Jackson) to record a triple-double with five different teams, when he recorded his 32nd triple-double with a season-high 24 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists as the Lakers lost 113–105 to the Clippers.[177] On March 29, he had 17 assists and five steals in a 123–115 win over theCharlotte Hornets, becoming the first Lakers' player with at least 17 assists and five steals sinceMagic Johnson in December 1989.[178]
On July 8, 2019, Rondo re-signed with the Lakers,[179] and went on to play an integral part in the team's2020 NBA Finals series win, his first in 12 years and becoming the second player in NBA history, afterClyde Lovellette, to win a championship with both theBoston Celtics and the Lakers, with Rondo being the first to win with Los Angeles as Lovellette won with the Minneapolis Lakers.[180] Rondo's 105 assists in the2020 NBA playoffs are the most by a bench player in a single postseason since the 1971 playoffs, surpassingManu Ginóbili's 95 assists in 2014.[181]
On November 23, 2020, Rondo signed a multi-year deal with theAtlanta Hawks.[182] On December 28, 2020, Rondo made his Hawks debut, putting up 12 points and eight assists in a 128–120 win against theDetroit Pistons.[183]
On March 25, 2021, Rondo was traded to theLos Angeles Clippers in exchange forLou Williams, two second-round draft picks and cash considerations.[184] On April 4, he made his debut in a 104–86 win over his former team, the Los Angeles Lakers, and recorded two points and three assists in 13 minutes.[185] On April 8, he recorded 15 points and nine assists, both season highs, off the bench in a 113–103 win over thePhoenix Suns.[186]
On August 16, 2021, Rondo was traded, alongsideDaniel Oturu,Patrick Beverley and a second-round draft pick to theMemphis Grizzlies in exchange forEric Bledsoe.[187] Twelve days later, he agreed to a buyout and was waived.[188]
On August 31, 2021, Rondo signed a one-year deal to return to the Lakers.[189][190]
On January 3, 2022, the Lakers traded Rondo to theCleveland Cavaliers as part of a three-team deal that also included theNew York Knicks.[191] He made his debut for the Cavaliers on January 7, recording 11 points, five rebounds, and three assists in a 114–101 win over thePortland Trail Blazers.[192]
On April 2, 2024, Rondo announced his retirement from basketball.[193]
Before the2024–25 NBA season, Rondo was invited byDoc Rivers, his former head coach with theBoston Celtics, to serve as a guest coach at theMilwaukee Bucks' training camp.[194] Rivers said Rondo would be around the team part-time and was considering a future in coaching, but was focused primarily on training his own son as a basketball player.[195]
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
| † | Won anNBA championship | * | Led the league | ‡ | NBA record |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–07 | Boston | 78 | 25 | 23.5 | .418 | .207 | .647 | 3.7 | 3.8 | 1.6 | .1 | 6.4 |
| 2007–08† | Boston | 77 | 77 | 29.9 | .492 | .263 | .611 | 4.2 | 5.1 | 1.7 | .2 | 10.6 |
| 2008–09 | Boston | 80 | 80 | 33.0 | .505 | .313 | .642 | 5.2 | 8.2 | 1.9 | .1 | 11.9 |
| 2009–10 | Boston | 81 | 81 | 36.6 | .508 | .213 | .621 | 4.4 | 9.8 | 2.3* | .1 | 13.7 |
| 2010–11 | Boston | 68 | 68 | 37.2 | .475 | .233 | .568 | 4.4 | 11.2 | 2.3 | .2 | 10.6 |
| 2011–12 | Boston | 53 | 53 | 36.9 | .448 | .238 | .597 | 4.8 | 11.7* | 1.8 | .1 | 11.9 |
| 2012–13 | Boston | 38 | 38 | 37.4 | .484 | .240 | .645 | 5.6 | 11.1* | 1.8 | .2 | 13.7 |
| 2013–14 | Boston | 30 | 30 | 33.3 | .403 | .289 | .627 | 5.5 | 9.8 | 1.3 | .1 | 11.7 |
| 2014–15 | Boston | 22 | 22 | 31.8 | .405 | .250 | .333 | 7.5 | 10.8 | 1.7 | .1 | 8.3 |
| Dallas | 46 | 46 | 28.7 | .436 | .352 | .452 | 4.5 | 6.5 | 1.2 | .1 | 9.3 | |
| 2015–16 | Sacramento | 72 | 72 | 35.2 | .454 | .365 | .580 | 6.0 | 11.7* | 2.0 | .1 | 11.9 |
| 2016–17 | Chicago | 69 | 42 | 26.7 | .408 | .376 | .600 | 5.1 | 6.7 | 1.4 | .2 | 7.8 |
| 2017–18 | New Orleans | 65 | 63 | 26.2 | .468 | .333 | .543 | 4.0 | 8.2 | 1.1 | .2 | 8.3 |
| 2018–19 | L.A. Lakers | 46 | 29 | 29.8 | .405 | .359 | .639 | 5.3 | 8.0 | 1.2 | .2 | 9.2 |
| 2019–20† | L.A. Lakers | 48 | 3 | 20.5 | .418 | .328 | .659 | 3.0 | 5.0 | .8 | .0 | 7.1 |
| 2020–21 | Atlanta | 27 | 2 | 14.9 | .400 | .378 | .500 | 2.0 | 3.5 | .7 | .1 | 3.9 |
| L.A. Clippers | 18 | 1 | 20.4 | .486 | .432 | 1.000 | 3.1 | 5.8 | 1.0 | .1 | 7.6 | |
| 2021–22 | L.A. Lakers | 18 | 0 | 16.1 | .324 | .267 | .500 | 2.7 | 3.7 | .7 | .3 | 3.1 |
| Cleveland | 21 | 1 | 19.4 | .429 | .397 | .750 | 2.8 | 4.9 | .9 | .0 | 6.2 | |
| Career | 957 | 733 | 29.9 | .456 | .324 | .611 | 4.5 | 7.9 | 1.6 | .1 | 9.8 | |
| All-Star | 3 | 0 | 18.7 | .545 | .000 | .000 | 1.7 | 7.0 | .3 | .0 | 4.0 | |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008† | Boston | 26‡ | 26‡ | 32.0 | .407 | .250 | .691 | 4.1 | 6.6 | 1.7 | .3 | 10.2 |
| 2009 | Boston | 14 | 14 | 41.2 | .417 | .250 | .657 | 9.7 | 9.8 | 2.5 | .2 | 16.9 |
| 2010 | Boston | 24 | 24 | 40.6 | .463 | .375 | .596 | 5.6 | 9.3 | 1.9 | .1 | 15.8 |
| 2011 | Boston | 9 | 9 | 38.3 | .477 | .000 | .632 | 5.4 | 9.6 | 1.1 | .0 | 14.0 |
| 2012 | Boston | 19 | 19 | 42.6 | .468 | .267 | .696 | 6.7 | 11.9 | 2.4 | .1 | 17.3 |
| 2015 | Dallas | 2 | 2 | 18.6 | .450 | .500 | .000 | 1.0 | 3.0 | .0 | .0 | 9.5 |
| 2017 | Chicago | 2 | 2 | 33.7 | .423 | .000 | .500 | 8.5 | 10.0 | 3.5 | .5 | 11.5 |
| 2018 | New Orleans | 9 | 9 | 33.6 | .413 | .421 | .643 | 7.6 | 12.2 | 1.4 | .2 | 10.3 |
| 2020† | L.A. Lakers | 16 | 0 | 24.7 | .455 | .400 | .684 | 4.3 | 6.6 | 1.4 | .1 | 8.9 |
| 2021 | L.A. Clippers | 13 | 0 | 16.9 | .340 | .393 | .667 | 2.6 | 3.8 | .4 | .2 | 4.2 |
| Career | 134 | 105 | 34.0 | .440 | .330 | .649 | 5.6 | 8.5 | 1.7 | .2 | 12.5 | |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004–05 | Kentucky | 34 | 34 | 25.1 | .510 | .303 | .583 | 2.9 | 3.5 | 2.6 | .2 | 8.1 |
| 2005–06 | Kentucky | 34 | 28 | 31.0 | .482 | .273 | .571 | 6.1 | 4.9 | 2.0 | .1 | 11.2 |
| Career | 68 | 62 | 28.1 | .493 | .283 | .577 | 4.5 | 4.2 | 2.3 | .2 | 9.6 | |
 | This section of abiography of a living persondoes notinclude anyreferences or sources. Please help by addingreliable sources. Contentious material about living people that is unsourced or poorly sourcedmust be removed immediately. Find sources: "Rajon Rondo" – news ·newspapers ·books ·scholar ·JSTOR(May 2022) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
NBA regular season:
NBA playoffs:
Boston Celtics:
New Orleans Pelicans:
In May 2022, Rondo allegedly threatened a woman with a gun at her home in Louisville, Kentucky.[196] The woman would be granted an emergency protective order.[196] In June 2022, the protective order was dismissed after "parties reached an agreement."[197]
Rondo was arrested in January 2024 for unlawful possession of a firearm, drug paraphernalia and marijuana. The arrest came after he was pulled over for reckless driving. He would be released after posting a $700 bond. Though all of the initial charges he was arrested for were considered to be only misdemeanors, it was later acknowledged that his 2022 legal agreement included a no-contact order which forbade him from keeping a gun. An initial court hearing has been scheduled to be held on February 27, 2024.[198] Rondo initially pled not guilty to all charges. The case was postponed for several months, while awaiting the decision of theUnited States Supreme Court onUnited States v. Rahimi, which directly pertained to Rondo's defense on the gun charge. Following the Supreme Court's decision, an August 1, trial date was set for Rondo. This trial date was subsequently canceled when a change of plea hearing was scheduled for September 3.[199]
...who got 13 points and 11 assists from Rajon Rondo in his team debut.
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