Interesting article on Rondo's development / personality

[Roy Hobbs]

"You've got to have some stubbornness in you, that's what makes you great," says Celtics coach Doc Rivers, a former All-Star point guard himself. "But...."

But there are times when it is better to back off. Rondo has butted heads with every coach he has had over the last decade. "Freshman year I benched him 13 games for one reason or another," says Doug Bibby, Rondo's coach at Eastern High in Louisville, who today considers Rondo one of his closest friends. In his two years at Kentucky, Rondo got along with coach Tubby Smith the way Keith Olbermann does with Bill O'Reilly, though it turned out to be nothing personal: As an up-tempo player Rondo felt restrained by Smith's half-court style. Now the two have a close friendship based on mutual respect.

"Last year Rondo got mad, and he said, 'Why are you always on me?'" recalls Rivers. "And I said, 'Because you're not as good as you should be yet.' I told him, 'Until that day I'm not getting off you, and I'm not going anywhere.'"

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/ian_thomsen/02/25/rajon.rondo/index.html

Ian Thomsen has a fairly interesting look at Rondo.  The excerpt above was one of the interesting bits, but there's quite a bit there worth reading.

[Mr October]

There are a lot of alpha dogs in the Celtics locker room. Rondo is one of them. Doc is such a good coach for this team. He's got their respect. They have each others respect. I love watching these guys play.

I like the fact that Rondo is taking control of the ball more and more. Not just differing and getting out of the way.

[steve]

I like Rondo but in my "Trade Rondo" thread I got killed for saying he butts heads with people.  When he's good he's good but when he's bad he brings the whole team down with him. 

[Atzar]

I hope he's right about his shot getting better with practice, because I'm not sure I agree with him.  When I watch him shoot, I see questionable mechanics that go beyond having hands the size of manhole covers.  Having less-than-good mechanics puts a lower ceiling on how good he could be as a shooter.  If he worked his shot out - not releasing from his ear, for starters - I think his jumpshot would be that much better in the long run. 

That said, he's in the NBA, and I'm sitting in front of my computer.  I can only criticize so much.

[zerophase]

Rondo is often compared with Tony Parker, another late-first-round pick, who guided the San Antonio Spurs to the 2003 championship even though he lacked a reliable jumper. Whereas Parker overhauled his technique and has developed into a long-range marksman, Rondo intends to change nothing.

"I'm set in my ways," says Rondo, who believes his accuracy will improve with practice. "I don't feel like I have to settle for a jump shot, because I can get to the basket at will."

That line really troubles me. He better develop a jumpshot or I will start to support the trade rondo thread. He has no crossover so he really can't get to the basket at will under a zone defense.

[steve]

5 pages of people telling me I'm an idiot because I question the great Rondo.  Yet nobody responds to this thread. 

[Truck Lewis]

this really isnt anything that we didnt already know...

i cant remember if its in Peter Mays book or just some article from earlier in the year that i read, but it said that the only people that can get through to him are Sam and Ray Ray...and even Ray said Rondo's stubborness can effect his ability to improve some times,,but more times than not it helps him

[nickagneta]

I LOVE Rondo's attitude. When the Big Three are all retired and sitting back and enjoying life, Rondo will be a 28 year old, multiple time All Star, PG captain of the Boston Celtics and carrying them into the future. His drive, stubbornness and leadership abilities will make him the John Havlicek type transition players between dynasties that Len Bias should have been.

[bMunch]

SI has a piece on Rondo in the March 2 issue:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/ian_thomsen/02/25/rajon.rondo/index.html

Stubbornness can be a flaw for Rajon Rondo, but only on those occasions when it's not a strength. The Boston Celtics point guard is so mule-headed that he refused to be drawn into the debate over whether he deserved one of the All-Star invitations that went to Eastern Conference rivals Devin Harris, Jameer Nelson and Mo Williams.

"I'll take a championship over All-Star any day," he said again and again. For Rondo has more important matters on his mind; with Kevin Garnett sidelined for the next two weeks with a strained right knee, Rondo will take on even more responsibility as Boston battles Williams's Cleveland Cavaliers for home court advantage throughout the Eastern Conference playoffs.

[BudweiserCeltic]

http://forums.celticsblog.com/index.php?topic=26069.0

[bMunch]

ah, thanks. didn't see that one and can't figure out if i can kill a thread i started.

mods?

[CoachCowens]

Rondo is often compared with Tony Parker, another late-first-round pick, who guided the San Antonio Spurs to the 2003 championship even though he lacked a reliable jumper. Whereas Parker overhauled his technique and has developed into a long-range marksman, Rondo intends to change nothing.

"I'm set in my ways," says Rondo, who believes his accuracy will improve with practice. "I don't feel like I have to settle for a jump shot, because I can get to the basket at will."

That line really troubles me. He better develop a jumpshot or I will start to support the trade rondo thread. He has no crossover so he really can't get to the basket at will under a zone defense.

I guess it depends how you interpret that statement.  Looks to me like all he is saying is he doesn't want to settle for a jumpshot.  By all acounts I have heard he is trying to improve his jumpshot. 

[amenhotep04]

When I saw the title of this thread I thought it was about a pre-enlightenment despot.

Bummer.

[guava_wrench]

I like Rondo but in my "Trade Rondo" thread I got killed for saying he butts heads with people.  When he's good he's good but when he's bad he brings the whole team down with him. 

You got killed for a lot of wild claims. In particular, you suggested trading Rondo for a big and another PG who you claimed would be better anyway, yet you never specified who you were talking about (which big and PG).

You also exaggerated how Doc and Rondo don't get along. Butting heads is different than not being able to work with each other.

I fail to see how this article is support for the idea that we should trade Rondo.