Boston Celtics 2008 Champion Rajon Rondo announces retirement

On Monday Rajon Rondo revealed that he’s formally retiring from the NBA on the All the Smoke Productions present. The 4x All-Star and 2x NBA Champion was one of the vital thrilling playmakers within the NBA throughout his 16-year profession.

Rondo was drafted twenty first total within the 2006 NBA Draft by the Phoenix Suns out of the College of Kentucky earlier than being traded on the identical day to the Boston Celtics. In his rookie season, taking part in predominantly as a backup to Sebastian Telfair, Rondo averaged 6.4 factors and three.8 assists and was recognized for his defensive instincts. Rondo could be named to the All-Rookies second staff.

It was the subsequent yr when Rondo actually burst out after the Celtics acquired Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen to pair with Paul Pierce to type the Huge Three in Boston. Within the offers to carry KG and Allen to Boston, the Celtics parted methods with Delonte West and Telfair opening a beginning spot for Rondo.

With a star-studded roster, Rondo led the offense along with his playmaking capacity whereas additionally being a pest on protection main the staff in steals and assists. Rondo was a spotlight machine along with his no-look passes, the pretend behind-the-back move, and the artistic finishes across the rim.

Within the 2008 Finals, Rondo averaged 9.3 factors, 6.7 assists, and three.8 to assist carry Banner 17 to Boston.

In his remaining time in inexperienced and white, Rondo continued to be top-of-the-line passers within the NBA. Rondo went 37 straight video games with 10+ assists per recreation, which ended towards the Brooklyn Nets when Kris Humphries and Rondo obtained right into a battle after a foul.

The Celtics traded Rondo to the Dallas Mavericks within the 2014-15 season, the place he performed out the rest of a five-year, $55 million contract he’d signed in 2010.

The veteran guard turned an NBA journeyman, spending the subsequent seven years with eight groups. For a lot of that interval, he remained a precious, productive chief on the ground. However he struggled each within the area and out of doors it.

In 2015, taking part in on a one-year cope with the Sacramento Kings, Rondo was suspended one recreation by the NBA after calling NBA referee Invoice Kennedy a homophobic slur in keeping with a MassLive report. After this encounter, Kennedy got here out revealing he was homosexual.

Photograph by Michael Reaves/Getty Pictures

Rondo moved on to join the Chicago Bulls for the 2016-17 season alongside Jimmy Butler and Dwyane Wade, a trio the purpose guard self-styled as “the three alphas”. The Bulls waived Rondo on the finish of June 2017, shortly after buying and selling away Butler.

The New Orleans Pelicans have been subsequent, another productive, if brief, stop.

Ultimately, Rondo signed with the Los Angeles Lakers and was an integral a part of LA’s title run within the 2019-2020 season that completed within the Orlando bubble.

Over the course of the subsequent two seasons, the two-time champ logged video games with the Atlanta Hawks, the Los Angeles Clippers, returned to the Lakers, and landed with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Though his capacity on the courtroom couldn’t be questioned, off the courtroom Rondo had his fair proportion of points with the regulation.

In Could of 2022, in keeping with an ESPN article, a girl filed for an “emergency protecting order” towards Rondo in Louisville, Kentucky. The girl alleged that the guard threatened her with a gun.

The girl alleges that Rondo stated to her “you’re useless” earlier than leaving the home, solely to return shortly thereafter, this time with a gun and demanding to see one of many youngsters. The girl stated she grew afraid of the state of affairs, so she introduced the kid downstairs, and Rondo pulled the kid exterior, allegedly whereas nonetheless holding the gun, whereas he yelled at him. He then demanded to see the opposite baby, too, and she or he additionally got here exterior, as Rondo yelled at each of them for being afraid of him, the lady alleged.

The order was granted and Rondo needed to keep a minimum of “a minimum of 500 toes away from the lady and the kids, and should quickly give up any firearms to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Workplace.”

ESPN then reported in June that the protective order was dismissed after the events reached an settlement.

The authorized points didn’t cease there for Rondo. Earlier this yr, the previous Wildcat was arrested on gun and marijuana costs in Indiana. Rondo was stopped for a site visitors violation the place a police officer “smelled marijuana” which led to a search of the automobile the place they discovered a gun that was unlawfully possessed.

Though paramount in his efforts to carry Boston and LA a championship, Rondo is just not one with out his faults. A 16-year profession stuffed with highlights and fond recollections for followers is hindered by incidents each on and off the courtroom.

Rondo will probably be remembered in Boston as a cussed guard who at his peak was top-of-the-line guards within the league. Other than the off courtroom points, quantity 9 will at all times be celebrated when followers assume again in regards to the ‘08 season.