After 16 seasons playing in the NBA and reaching the top of the mountain twice, Rajon Rondo has announced his retirement. In turn, Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James has penned a message for his former teammate.
Rondo first entered the league as the Phoenix Suns’ 21st pick in the 2006 Draft, and traded right away to the Boston Celtics. He would spend a little over eight seasons playing for Beantown and posting averages of 11.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, 8.5 assists, and 1.9 steals per game. He also won a ring with a core of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen in 2008 during the second year of his career.
After the front office dismantled that said core, Rondo stayed in Boston for a time until he was traded to the Dallas Mavericks. Since then he has turned into a journeyman playing for several franchises, including the Sacramento Kings, Chicago Bulls, and New Orleans Pelicans.
In 2018, Rondo found himself playing for a Lakers team with James and Anthony Davis in it. The following year, the All-Star point guard proved to be an instrumental piece to winning the championship inside the Bubble. This accomplishment also made him the second player behind Clyde Lovellette to win a ring with the Celtics and Lakers.
After his stint wearing the Purple and Gold, Rondo played for the Atlanta Hawks, Los Angeles Clippers, and Cleveland Cavaliers. The two-time NBA champion played his last game for the Cavs in April of 2022 against the Milwaukee Bucks.
Los Angeles Lakers Star LeBron James Shares His Thoughts on Rajon Rondo’s Retirement
After hearing about Rondo’s retirement, James spoke to reporters and described how he felt about his former teammate in a video shared by Dave McMenamin on X:
LeBron James on Rajon Rondo officially announcing his retirement: “One of the best players I ever played with. … ‘Do always talked about if he ever teamed up with me, he knew we could win a championship. And we did that” pic.twitter.com/GtLofpAUtg
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) April 3, 2024
Along with short interview, the Lakers All-Star also released a statement about the matter. In a tweet shared by Daniel Starkand on X:
LeBron James on Rajon Rondo announcing his retirement: pic.twitter.com/VECDCGzA6r
— Daniel Starkand (@DStarkand) April 3, 2024
Apart from winning the championship twice, Rondo was also named to four All-Star Games, four All-Defensive teams, and an All-NBA team in 2012. He also led the league in assists for three seasons and steals during the 2009-10 campaign.
Jan. 28, 2023
Seeing Rondo go into the sunset sure does evoke some memories of how point guards used to play in the past. For sure, finding someone as skilled and talented as he was on the court will be a tall order for teams in the league right now.
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