| Athleticism | No Ratings |
| Defense | No Ratings |
| Quickness | No Ratings |
| Jump shot | No Ratings |
| Rebounding | No Ratings |
| Post skills | No Ratings |
Rajon Rondo
#9 – Rajon Rondo – Boston Celtics
Season: 11.0 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 8.0 apg, 2.2 spg, 50% fg percentage, 64% ft percentage
Career: 9.0 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 5.2 apg, 1.8 spg, 47% fg percentage, 63% ft percentage
In only his third year, Rajon Rondo is quietly silencing his critics – the same critics that said he wouldn’t be able to lead the Celtics at the point. Although he still has lots of aspects to work on, Rondo has shown the ability to distribute and create his own shot. He’s got a lightening quick first step and durability issues haven’t surfaced as of yet. With qualities like that who would have thought he was the 21st overall pick in the 2006 draft.
When the Celtics acquired Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen in the summer of 2007, many were left to wonder if Boston could survive without a true point guard. Their depth had been shot and many speculated Rondo wouldn’t be up to the task. After all, he was a sophomore – and a mediocre rookie campaign didn’t help his cause. But is there a team, right now, that couldn’t use a Rajon Rondo – even coming off the bench?
The Good
Rondo has improved steadily in his third year. He’s upped his field goal percentage from a dismal 41% to a solid 50% and has also increased his rebound, assist and thievery numbers. Sure, he’s not putting up huge numbers, but what he does is give the Celtics another offensive weapon and someone who can log heavy minutes at point. He’s not option one, but, with his speed, he can create his own shot with the clock winding down.
The Bad
The only concern I have for Rondo is whether or not he’ll slow down. Teams have been able to isolate him – and that led to a Celtics breakdown. If Rondo’s on the court, the Celtics have a much better chance to win; given that their bench is about soup base thin. As mentioned, Rondo eats minutes – will he get tired? Let’s say rondo plays 78 games this year, that’ll give him a total of 232 games in his first three seasons, excluding playoffs. The man either doesn’t run out of energy, or is a robot in disguise.
The Recap
- Solid defender.
- Lightening quick.
- Hasn’t shown the ability to hit a jump shot consistently.
- Can’t shoot free throws.
- Makes the Celtics go.
Tips and Tricks
Make Rondo a jump shooter. You’ll live with a Rondo jumper more than a Rondo drive – just ask any scout. He hasn’t shown the ability to hit an outside shot with any consistency and, until he does, he’ll be left wide open 15 feet or more out. How sure am I? Well I’m pretty sure the sun will rise tomorrow; if that’s any indication.
Final Thoughts
Rondo has carved out a place for himself in this league – something most players drafted past the tenth pick rarely do. I’m glad he’s found a niche in Boston and I’m also glad he’s proven everyone wrong. He was able to help bring Boston a much needed championship and continues to be an integral part of that system. Who would have thought that the championship hopes of the Celtics depended that much on the play of Rajon Rondo?
Write a Review of