It's been almost two years, since his last match on April 10, 2022, that Rajon Rondo no longer set foot on the floors of the Great League. And it will continue since he has just announced on the “All The Smoke” podcast that he had given up on the NBA.
” Absolutely “he replies when Matt Barnes asks him if his career in the league is behind him. “I’m done. I want to spend time with my children. »
It is therefore a career of 957 regular season matches and 134 playoffs played between 2006 and 2022 which closes and which can be divided into two pieces: the Celtics and the rest.
The Celtics playmaker version of the “Big Three”
Rajon Rondo started in Boston where he became the starting point guard of the “Big Three”, composed of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen, who would be crowned in 2008 and runner-up in 2010. And quickly, he became an element central to this team, to the point of becoming a four-time All-Star with the Celtics.
These are his best seasons. Those where he is the best passer (2012 and 2013) and interceptor (2010) in the league, a member of the All-Defensive Teams (four times). He was even elected to the All-NBA third five in 2013.
His passing, his combativeness (especially in the playoffs), his defense and his reading of the game make Boston fans happy. His long shot is very irregular, but no matter, he improves every ball he touches. “I wanted to make my teammates’ lives easier”he explains to Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson.
Before talking about the disappearance of the old-style leaders, of which he was one. “We play the right way,” he adds in reference to Chris Paul. “I'm not saying that those who score points are selfish but, at the same time, the playmaker is an extension of the coach on the floor. There are point guards who don't know how to manage the end of games, or who to give the ball to for certain matchups. But the league has become like that, we want points. »
A second ring with the Lakers
During the 2014/15 season, he left the Celtics to join Dallas. This is the beginning of his many travels. The experience in the Texans did not work (his relationship with Rick Carlisle was disastrous) and he bounced back to Sacramento the following season, to team with DeMarcus Cousins. He is having an excellent season since he is still the best passer in the league but from the 2016/17 season, we find him in Chicago to form a trio with Dwyane Wade and Jimmy Butler… with whom relations are also complicated since he defends the young players of the group in the face of criticism and mockery from the two All-Stars.
The Bulls still go to the playoffs and lead 2-0 against the Celtics in the first round. But Rajon Rondo gets injured, Chicago loses and the playmaker flies to New Orleans. He accompanies Anthony Davis, Cousins, Jrue Holiday and the Pelicans go to the Western Conference semi-finals. But once again, he did not linger and joined LeBron James' Lakers in 2018.
A profitable choice: he won the title in the “bubble” in 2020 by being very valuable off the bench during the playoffs. He also made history by becoming, with Clyde Lovellette, in the 1950s and 1960s, the only player to have won the supreme trophy with the two most legendary franchises in the league.
This is the last peak of his career. Because behind him, he goes through the Hawks, the Clippers, again the Lakers and finally the Cavs, for a few matches each time. He therefore finished his career with 9.8 points, 7.9 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 1.6 steals on average. His 7,584 assists still remain the 15th highest total in NBA history.
| Rajon Rondo | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2006-07 | BOS | 78 | 24 | 41.8 | 20.7 | 64.7 | 1.0 | 2.8 | 3.7 | 3.8 | 2.3 | 1.6 | 1.8 | 0.1 | 6.4 |
| 2007-08 | BOS | 77 | 30 | 49.2 | 26.3 | 61.1 | 1.0 | 3.2 | 4.2 | 5.1 | 2.4 | 1.7 | 1.9 | 0.2 | 10.6 |
| 2008-09 | BOS | 80 | 33 | 50.5 | 31.3 | 64.2 | 1.3 | 4.0 | 5.2 | 8.2 | 2.4 | 1.9 | 2.6 | 0.1 | 11.9 |
| 2009-10 | BOS | 81 | 37 | 50.8 | 21.3 | 62.1 | 1.2 | 3.2 | 4.4 | 9.8 | 2.4 | 2.3 | 3.0 | 0.1 | 13.7 |
| 2010-11 | BOS | 68 | 37 | 47.5 | 23.3 | 56.8 | 1.3 | 3.1 | 4.4 | 11.2 | 1.8 | 2.3 | 3.4 | 0.2 | 10.6 |
| 2011-12 | BOS | 53 | 37 | 44.8 | 23.8 | 59.7 | 1.2 | 3.7 | 4.9 | 11.7 | 1.9 | 1.8 | 3.6 | 0.1 | 11.9 |
| 2012-13 | BOS | 38 | 37 | 48.4 | 24.0 | 64.5 | 1.1 | 4.5 | 5.6 | 11.1 | 2.5 | 1.8 | 3.9 | 0.2 | 13.7 |
| 2013-14 | BOS | 30 | 33 | 40.3 | 28.9 | 62.7 | 0.7 | 4.7 | 5.5 | 9.8 | 2.2 | 1.3 | 3.3 | 0.1 | 11.7 |
| 2014-15 * | All Teams | 68 | 30 | 42.6 | 31.4 | 39.7 | 1.1 | 4.4 | 5.5 | 7.9 | 2.3 | 1.3 | 3.1 | 0.1 | 8.9 |
| 2014-15 * | DAL | 46 | 29 | 43.6 | 35.2 | 45.2 | 1.0 | 3.5 | 4.5 | 6.5 | 2.4 | 1.2 | 2.9 | 0.1 | 9.3 |
| 2014-15 * | BOS | 22 | 32 | 40.5 | 25.0 | 33.3 | 1.1 | 6.4 | 7.5 | 10.8 | 1.9 | 1.7 | 3.4 | 0.1 | 8.3 |
| 2015-16 | BAG | 72 | 35 | 45.4 | 36.5 | 58.0 | 1.1 | 5.0 | 6.0 | 11.7 | 2.4 | 2.0 | 3.9 | 0.1 | 11.9 |
| 2016-17 | CHI | 69 | 27 | 40.8 | 37.6 | 60.0 | 1.1 | 4.1 | 5.1 | 6.7 | 2.1 | 1.4 | 2.5 | 0.2 | 7.8 |
| 2017-18 | NOP | 65 | 26 | 46.8 | 33.3 | 54.3 | 0.5 | 3.6 | 4.1 | 8.2 | 1.8 | 1.1 | 2.3 | 0.2 | 8.3 |
| 2018-19 | LAL | 46 | 30 | 40.5 | 35.9 | 63.9 | 0.7 | 4.5 | 5.3 | 8.0 | 2.2 | 1.2 | 2.8 | 0.2 | 9.2 |
| 2019-20 | LAL | 48 | 21 | 41.8 | 32.8 | 65.9 | 0.5 | 2.5 | 3.0 | 5.0 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 1.9 | 0.0 | 7.1 |
| 2020-21 * | All Teams | 45 | 17 | 44.2 | 40.4 | 94.1 | 0.4 | 2.0 | 2.4 | 4.4 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 1.8 | 0.1 | 5.4 |
| 2020-21 * | ATL | 27 | 15 | 40.0 | 37.8 | 50.0 | 0.2 | 1.9 | 2.0 | 3.5 | 0.9 | 0.7 | 1.4 | 0.1 | 3.9 |
| 2020-21 * | LAKE | 18 | 20 | 48.6 | 43.2 | 100.0 | 0.8 | 2.3 | 3.1 | 5.8 | 1.6 | 1.0 | 2.2 | 0.1 | 7.6 |
| 2021-22 * | All Teams | 39 | 18 | 38.6 | 35.2 | 73.1 | 0.4 | 2.4 | 2.8 | 4.4 | 1.4 | 0.8 | 1.7 | 0.2 | 4.8 |
| 2021-22 * | KEY | 21 | 20 | 42.9 | 39.7 | 75.0 | 0.2 | 2.6 | 2.8 | 4.9 | 1.5 | 0.9 | 1.6 | 0.1 | 6.2 |
| 2021-22 * | LAL | 18 | 16 | 32.4 | 26.7 | 50.0 | 0.6 | 2.2 | 2.7 | 3.7 | 1.4 | 0.7 | 1.9 | 0.3 | 3.1 |
| Total | 957 | 30 | 45.6 | 32.4 | 61.1 | 1.0 | 3.6 | 4.5 | 7.9 | 2.1 | 1.6 | 2.7 | 0.1 | 9.8 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
