Can I call Rondo ... the Andrew Toney of the Celtics?

[TitleMaster]

Ok, I know it's being obnoxious but all of us old Celtics fans used to fear this Sixers guard. I think Rajon deserves the accolade.

[GreenFaith1819]

Ok, I know it's being obnoxious but all of us old Celtics fans used to fear this Sixers guard. I think Rajon deserves the accolade.

Ha - I couldn't stand AT. That man gave us much trouble back in the day.

But yeah - Rondo is approaching that level, thank God. We need it. The young man's future is as bright as a SuperNova.

[Celtics17]

i remember Toney but not well. I gotta say though that my feeling on the Toney matter is, you are not giving Rondo enough credit.

[wahz]

No but very soon you will be able to call him the Magic Johnson of the Celtics. A better jumper and some fleet teammates is all he needs and its going to happen.

[PosImpos]

No but very soon you will be able to call him the Magic Johnson of the Celtics. A better jumper and some fleet teammates is all he needs and its going to happen.

woah there.  let's not go nuts over one game.

[rav123]

No but very soon you will be able to call him the Magic Johnson of the Celtics. A better jumper and some fleet teammates is all he needs and its going to happen.

woah there.  let's not go nuts over one game.

Dunno. Bunch of guys here were saying Durant could be a rebounding superstar after one 19-rebound game in the playoffs.

To be around Magic's level, Rondo would need to get 21-8-12-2.5 (P/R/A/S). Rondo already has that many steals, and it's possible he can reach that number of assists (with a prime Kareem and Worthy he would) and points (if he gets a jumpshot). Plus the showtime Lakers played fast, boosting Magic's stats a bit.

Can't see him getting more than 6.5rpg though, it's impossible for Rondo to bring that much effort every night. His best is 5.2rpg,last season.

[wdleehi]

I still see him as a hyper active, smaller version of Jason Kidd. 


Both entered the league without a jump shot. 

Both control the offense with passing.


Both are triple double potential.

[slamtheking]

Not thrilled with the Andrew Toney comparison.  first off, the obvious reason---it's Andrew Toney--an ex-Sixer scumbag from the time when the C's-Sixers was the best rivalry in the game.  Even better than the one with the Lakers because we played them more often.

Second, Toney was pretty much a 1-trick pony.  he could shoot and shoot and shoot.  Rondo does everything but that, although he's getting much better at it.  the past couple of months Rondo's gotten so much more consistant with jumpers out to 16-18 feet that I no longer cringe when I see him take the shot. (because that's actually a top-notch measuring stick for a shooter's ability---my lack of cringing).

Thirdly and more importantly, Toney went off against certain teams, not all of them.  to be fair, he could go off on anyone but usually it was the C's he had a flair for tormenting.  Rondo goes off against everyone.  The better the opposition, the better he tends to play.

Assuming no major injuries occur to curtail his career, and he spends it in a C's uniform, he very well may pass Cousy as the best C's PG in stats and in people's opinions.  He could very well be mentioned as one of the best guards (or players) ever.  Maybe not on quite the same level as Jordan, Magic, Oscar or West, but he could get [dang] close. 

I'm not saying that's definite by any means but if his game keeps progressing and considering his age, he could be the best guard in the league in a couple of years.  He could be getting the Bron/Wade/Kobe types of calls before we know it. 

[nickagneta]

I think I know where you are going with the comparison. The comparison has less to do with the player's similarity of skills and more to do with the ability to create fear in the opposition's fans.

But I think you are giving Toney just a bit too much credit and Rondo not nearly enough.

I think Rondo will, and rightly so, start getting superduperstar publicity and attention from opposing teams. There is no better compliment you can give a young player on his "coming out" as a star than to start game planning for him and giving him media attention. Rondo will start to become to opposing fans the Celtic player that fans hate most, respect most, wish they had on their team most and fear of having one of those "Rondo" games most.

Disclaimer: a "Rondo" game is one of those games that is unique to Rajon Rondo, that only he can have in this league, where he has over 15 points, over 12 rebounds and over 12 assist with some of those assists being passes no over player in the league seemingly can make and some of those rebounds being rebounds that amaze you because he's 6 foot tall and some of those points are with his textbook fake out moves that make the opposition's players look silly. He is also likely to have anywhere from 3 to 7 steals on the defensive end in one of these games.

[Greenbean]

No but very soon you will be able to call him the Magic Johnson of the Celtics. A better jumper and some fleet teammates is all he needs and its going to happen.

woah there.  let's not go nuts over one game.

Dunno. Bunch of guys here were saying Durant could be a rebounding superstar after one 19-rebound game in the playoffs.

To be around Magic's level, Rondo would need to get 21-8-12-2.5 (P/R/A/S). Rondo already has that many steals, and it's possible he can reach that number of assists (with a prime Kareem and Worthy he would) and points (if he gets a jumpshot). Plus the showtime Lakers played fast, boosting Magic's stats a bit.

Can't see him getting more than 6.5rpg though, it's impossible for Rondo to bring that much effort every night. His best is 5.2rpg,last season.

You are forgetting that Rondo would have to be 6 11 and be able to play all 5 positions on the court if asked to do so.

Rondo is Rondo. There has never been a guy in the NBA with his combination of skills.

[Donoghus]

Let's hope he has a longer and more fruitful career than Toney.

[Evantime34]

I think a young Jason Kidd is a better comparision. Although Rondo is smaller a little quicker, has a longer wingspan and is a better shooter than Jason was early in his career.

[slamtheking]

I think a young Jason Kidd is a better comparision. Although Rondo is smaller a little quicker, has a longer wingspan and is a better shooter than Jason was early in his career.

I think he's better than Kidd was at the same stage of his career.

To me, Kidd was more hyped coming into the league and I've never felt he's lived up to that hype.  Talented player to be sure, but never living up to the hyped expectations.  Rondo is surpassing his original expectations already and I think he's passing Kidd in overall talent during their respective career paths.  I've never felt Kidd was a real offensive threat himself, just his passing, ballhandling and getting others involved was very good.  Rondo is much more of an offensive threat than Kidd has ever been.

[the_Bird]

I think a young Jason Kidd is a better comparision. Although Rondo is smaller a little quicker, has a longer wingspan and is a better shooter than Jason was early in his career.

When he was in his prime, I'm not sure there was anyone who had more of an impact on the game than Kidd.  He was one helluva player, hated playing against him because he made everyone else SO much better.  

A a little different style, though; I don't recall him being quite as quick as Rondo.  Remember Kidd always being crafty, and I can't think of too many PGs who have even been stronger than Kidd.  Doesn't/didn't Kidd used to post up quite a bit?

[Q_FBE]

NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

Rondo is so much superior to Andrew Toney it is not funny. Toney was a one dimensional player and that was to shoot the ball. Rondo is the Boston Celtics at this point. I suspected it all along.

If you want to compare Rondo to anybody on those Sixer teams back in the Golden Era, compare him Maurice Cheeks who had similar attributes to Rondo but was more defensive oriented.

Man I hate to think where we would be without Rondo (hint: talking about the upcoming draft instead of a Game 5 in Cleveland).