Article By: Matt West
Whether he comes across as arrogant, enigmatic or just plain difficult, there is no denying Rajon Rondo’s value to the Boston Celtics.
Because he has secluded himself from the media since being drafted in the first round back in 2006, many people view him as a player who doesn’t care about his teammates and constantly plays with a chip on his shoulder. And while the latter may be true, his play over the last few seasons has proven to the masses that he has a singular focus: winning basketball games. That is why his recent contract extension for five years and $55 million is so important.
Over the summer, rumors and speculation swirled as to what Danny Ainge and the Celtics would do with the young, playmaking point guard. Some media outlets had the C’s shipping Rondo in a package deal with shooting guard Ray Allen to Detroit for Richard Hamilton and
Rodney Stuckey, the latter of whom is another up-and-coming guard with tons of promise.
What happened was Ainge, a guy not afraid to pull the trigger and make a controversial move, voiced his displeasure with Rondo, while making it abundantly clear that he did not appreciate the way he behaved during last season’s playoff run. Rondo, for example, reportedly showed up late to a game against the Orlando Magic in the second round of the playoffs, prompting him to miss pre-game workouts.
This Celtics team, structured to win based not only on skill and depth but individual attitudes and commitment, became wary of the way Rondo handled adversity; specifically rumors that he did not take criticism well. Although he was an integral component to the 2007-2008 championship team, Ainge and the rest of the organization felt it important to bring him back down to earth.
“I’m excited, thankful, humbled,” Rondo recently told ESPN.com. “Nothing changes, though. There’s still one goal in mind. It’s a great opportunity, but I’m focused on winning a championship.”
Rondo brings a unique set of skills to this team, one that makes him almost indispensable. The point guard may be the most important position on the floor, seeing as he always has the ball most often, manipulating the game with each one-handed pass or fall-away jumper.
With three potential Hall of Fame players in Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen, it would seem difficult to appease each of them, while also trying to constantly evolve into a better player. For Rondo, those problems don’t seem to exist, and he has proven as much with his continued ascent up the basketball food chain.
Even with his off-the-court distractions, Rondo had a career playoff run last year. He became the first Celtic player since Larry Bird to record two triple doubles in the same playoff series. Also, in Game 6 of their first round clash with the Chicago Bulls, Rondo tallied a career-high 19 assists without turning the ball over. He became a star player overnight, and the league began to realize that he was here to not only stay, but here to dominate.
While some people thought the Celtics should have stood strong and waited until he became a restricted free agent to match the highest offer, signing him now secures his rights for the next five years. As he has proven the last three years, he has the tools and mindset to be a winner in this league for a long time.
Bill Simmons, author of The Book of Basketball: the NBA according to the Sports Guy, explained in the first chapter what “The Secret” is to winning championships in the NBA.
“The fans don’t get it,” said Simmons. “We measure players by numbers, only the playoffs roll around and teams that play together, kill themselves defensively, sacrifice personal success and ignore statistics invariably win the title.”
That seems pretty indicative of what Rondo has done in Boston thus far. And with his new contract, he may help the Celtics win a few more rings.
