Rajon Rondo facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Rajon Rondo

Rondo with the New Orleans Pelicans in 2017
Personal information
Born	(1986-02-22) February 22, 1986 (age 39) Louisville, Kentucky, U.S.
High school	Eastern (Middletown, Kentucky) Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Virginia)
Listed height	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Listed weight	180 lb (82 kg)
Career information
College	Kentucky (2004–2006)
NBA Draft	2006 / Round: 1 / Pick: 21st overall
Selected by the Phoenix Suns
Pro career	2006–2022
Career history
2006–2014	Boston Celtics
2014–2015	Dallas Mavericks
2015–2016	Sacramento Kings
2016–2017	Chicago Bulls
2017–2018	New Orleans Pelicans
2018–2020	Los Angeles Lakers
2020–2021	Atlanta Hawks
2021	Los Angeles Clippers
2021–2022	Los Angeles Lakers
2022	Cleveland Cavaliers
Career highlights and awards
2× NBA champion (2008, 2020) 4× NBA All-Star (2010–2013) All-NBA Third Team (2012) 2× NBA All-Defensive First Team (2010, 2011) 2× NBA All-Defensive Second Team (2009, 2012) 3× NBA assists leader (2012, 2013, 2016) NBA steals leader (2010) NBA All-Rookie Second Team (2007) SEC All-Freshman Team (2005) Second-team Parade All-American (2004) McDonald's All-American (2004)
Career NBA statistics
Points	9,337 (9.8 ppg)
Rebounds	4,349 (4.5 rpg)
Assists	7,584 (7.9 apg)

Rajon Pierre Rondo (born February 22, 1986) is an American former professional basketball player. He played as a point guard. Rondo played two years of college basketball for the Kentucky Wildcats. He was drafted 21st overall by the Phoenix Suns in the 2006 NBA draft. He was then traded to the Boston Celtics on the same day.

Rondo is a two-time NBA champion, winning titles in 2008 and 2020. He was also a four-time NBA All-Star. He earned four NBA All-Defensive Team honors, including two times on the First Team. In 2012, he was named to the All-NBA Third Team.

While with the Celtics, Rondo helped them reach the NBA Finals in 2008 and 2010. They won the championship in 2008 with him as the starting point guard. Rondo was known for being a great passer in the NBA. He led the league in assists three times and in steals once. He is fourth in Celtics history for assists and third in steals. Rondo was also known for getting many triple-doubles (getting double-digit numbers in three different stats like points, rebounds, and assists). He ranks 16th in NBA history for regular season triple-doubles with 32. He is sixth in NBA history for playoff triple-doubles with 10.

After eight and a half seasons with the Celtics, Rondo was traded to the Dallas Mavericks in December 2014. He then played for many other teams. These included the Sacramento Kings, Chicago Bulls, New Orleans Pelicans, Los Angeles Lakers (twice), Atlanta Hawks, Los Angeles Clippers, and Cleveland Cavaliers. With the Lakers, he won his second championship in 2020.

Rajon Rondo's Early Life

Rajon Rondo was born on February 22, 1986, in Louisville, Kentucky. He grew up with three siblings. His father left the family when Rajon was seven years old. To support her children, his mother worked hard at a tobacco company. Rajon was first interested in football. However, his mother encouraged him to play basketball. She thought it would be less tough on his body because he was skinny.

College Basketball Career

Rondo decided to play for the Kentucky Wildcats. He chose them over his hometown team, Louisville. Rondo was part of a top-rated group of new players for Kentucky in 2004. He helped Kentucky win many games. These wins included games against Louisville, South Carolina, and Central Florida.

However, Kentucky did not reach the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament during Rondo's two years there. He was named to the SEC All-Freshmen Team. In his first year, he set a Kentucky record with 87 steals. He had at least one steal in every game. He finished his freshman year averaging 8.1 points, 2.9 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 2.6 steals per game.

In his second year, Rondo had a career-high 12 assists in a game against Ole Miss. He also scored 25 points against Louisville. Rondo set another Kentucky record by getting 19 rebounds in a game against Iowa. This was a lot for a guard. He was not known for his shooting, though. He averaged 11.2 points, 6.1 rebounds, 4.9 assists, and 2.1 steals per game in his sophomore year.

Rondo also played for the U.S. men's national under-21 basketball team. They won a gold medal at the Global Games in Texas. This caught the attention of many NBA scouts.

Professional Basketball Journey

Joining the Boston Celtics (2006–2014)

NBA Draft and Rookie Year

After his second year at Kentucky, Rondo decided to enter the NBA draft. He was picked 21st overall by the Phoenix Suns in the 2006 NBA draft. But the Suns quickly traded him to the Boston Celtics. He was the first point guard chosen in that draft. Rondo officially signed with the Celtics on July 4, 2006.

In his first year, the 2006–07 season, Rondo played a supporting role. He shared playing time with other guards. He started in 25 games that season. Rondo made his NBA debut on November 1, 2006. He scored a career-high 23 points against the Toronto Raptors. He also got his first double-double (double-digit numbers in two stats) against the Washington Wizards.

Rondo's jump shot was not strong in his rookie year. He often drove to the basket for layups. As the season went on, he played more and his performance improved. He set a career-high with 14 rebounds against the San Antonio Spurs. He also had a career-high 7 steals against the Indiana Pacers. His good play earned him a spot on the NBA All-Rookie Second Team. The Celtics, however, did not make the playoffs that year.

First NBA Championship (2007–08 Season)

Rondo playing in May 2008

Before the 2007–08 season, the Celtics traded away other guards. This made Rondo the main starting point guard. He started in every game he played. He was surrounded by All-Stars like Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen. Rondo quickly became a steady player. He averaged 10.6 points, 5.1 assists, and 4.2 rebounds per game. He led the team in assists and steals.

Rondo was chosen to play in the Sophomore Team game during the NBA All-Star Weekend. He recorded a career-high 16 assists in a game against the Charlotte Bobcats. The Celtics had a huge improvement that season. They became the top team in the Eastern Conference.

In the playoffs, Rondo made his debut on April 20, 2008. The Celtics made it to the NBA Finals. They faced the Los Angeles Lakers. Rondo had strong games, including 16 assists in Game 2. In Game 6, he had a playoff career-high 6 steals. The Celtics beat the Lakers 4–2, and Rondo won his first NBA championship ring. After the game, Lakers coach Phil Jackson called Rondo the "star" of Game 6.

Breaking Through (2008–09 Season)

Rondo in December 2008

In his third NBA season, the Celtics started with a great record. They also set a team record with a nineteen-game winning streak. Rondo's stats improved. He got his first career triple-double against the Indiana Pacers. He had 16 points, 13 rebounds, and 17 assists.

He recorded his second career triple-double against the Dallas Mavericks. He also scored a career-high 32 points against the Phoenix Suns on his 23rd birthday. Rondo finished the season ranking fifth in the NBA in assists (8.2) and steals (1.9). The Celtics entered the playoffs without Kevin Garnett, who was injured.

In the playoffs, Rondo had a playoff career-high 29 points in Game 1 against the Chicago Bulls. He recorded two triple-doubles in that series. He became the first Celtics player to have two triple-doubles in the same series since Larry Bird in 1986. In Game 6, he had a career-high 19 assists with no turnovers. This tied an NBA playoffs record. The Celtics lost in the next round to the Orlando Magic. Rondo almost averaged a triple-double during the postseason. He had 16.9 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 9.8 assists.

First All-Star Selection (2009–10 Season)

During the 2009–10 season, Rondo averaged career highs in points (13.7), assists (9.8), and steals (2.3). He became the first Celtic to lead the league in steals. In November 2009, Rondo signed a five-year contract extension with the Celtics.

He recorded his third regular-season triple-double against the Toronto Raptors. On January 28, 2010, he was chosen for his first NBA All-Star selection. He also competed in the 2010 H-O-R-S-E contest. Rondo broke Bob Cousy's team record for most assists in a single season.

In the 2010 NBA Playoffs, the Celtics beat the Miami Heat and the Cleveland Cavaliers. They then beat the Orlando Magic to reach the NBA Finals. In the Finals, the Celtics again faced the Los Angeles Lakers. Rondo recorded his second triple-double of the postseason. However, the Celtics lost to the Lakers in seven games.

Rising Popularity (2010–11 Season)

In the first game of the 2010–11 season, Rondo had 17 assists. In the third game, he had a career-high 24 assists along with a triple-double. This tied him with Isiah Thomas as one of the few players to have at least 24 assists in a triple-double. His total of 50 assists in the first three games tied John Stockton's NBA record. He continued to set records for most assists in the first few games of a season.

Rondo dealt with injuries during this season. He played through foot pain and missed games due to a hamstring strain and a sprained ankle. In the playoffs, Rondo had a triple-double with 20 assists against the New York Knicks. This set a Celtics record for most assists in a playoff game. Rondo's jersey was the third best-selling in the league that season.

All-NBA Selection (2011–12 Season)

Rondo in December 2011

On February 21, 2012, Rondo was named an All-Star. He had an amazing game on March 4 against the Knicks. He recorded 18 points, 17 rebounds, and 20 assists. He joined Wilt Chamberlain, Magic Johnson, and Jason Kidd as the only players to have at least 15 points, rebounds, and assists in the same game.

Rondo finished the regular season with 24 games in a row with 10 or more assists. This was a Celtics record and the longest streak in the NBA since 1992. In the playoffs, Rondo had three triple-doubles. He joined Larry Bird as the only Celtics players to get a triple-double in a Game 7.

In Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals, Rondo scored a career-high 44 points. He also had 8 rebounds and 10 assists. He is the only player in NBA history with those numbers in a playoff game. Rondo passed Bob Cousy for the most playoff games with 10 or more assists for the Celtics. The Celtics lost to the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals. Rondo's tenth playoff triple-double tied him with Larry Bird for third all-time.

Season-Ending Injury (2012–13 Season)

Rondo in January 2013

Rondo started the season with his assist streak continuing. He had his 37th game with 10+ assists, matching John Stockton's streak. Only Magic Johnson had a longer streak. The streak ended when Rondo was ejected from a game for fighting.

Rondo was voted as a starting point guard for the 2013 NBA All-Star Game. However, on January 27, 2013, he tore his ACL during a game. This injury meant he would miss the rest of the season. Despite this, Rondo still led the NBA in assists for the season.

Coming Back (2013–14 Season)

On January 15, 2014, Rondo was sent to the Maine Red Claws (a minor league team) for training. He was called back to the Celtics later that day.

Rondo made his return to the Celtics on January 17, 2014, almost a year after his injury. He played 19 minutes and had 8 points, 4 assists, and 2 rebounds. He was named the 15th captain in Boston Celtics history. On April 4, 2014, Rondo recorded his first triple-double of the season. He had 11 points, 11 rebounds, and 16 assists.

Last Year in Boston (2014–15 Season)

On September 26, 2014, Rondo had surgery for a broken left hand. He missed the preseason but returned for the first regular season game on October 29. He had 13 points, 12 assists, and seven rebounds. He recorded several more triple-doubles and games with many assists in his final months with the Celtics. His last game as a Celtic was on December 17, 2014.

Dallas Mavericks (2014–2015)

On December 18, 2014, Rondo was traded to the Dallas Mavericks. He made his debut two days later. In his return to Boston on January 2, 2015, Rondo scored a career-high 15 points in the first quarter. He finished with 29 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists.

However, Rondo struggled to fit in with the Mavericks. He often disagreed with head coach Rick Carlisle. His chemistry with teammates was not good. The Mavericks' offense got worse after he joined. Rondo and the Mavericks decided to part ways after the season. He was benched during their playoff series against the Houston Rockets. The team said he had a back injury, but reports suggested it was due to their disagreements.

Sacramento Kings (2015–2016)

On July 13, 2015, Rondo signed a one-year contract with the Sacramento Kings. He made his debut on October 28, 2015. On November 13, he recorded his third triple-double in four games and 25th of his career. He had 23 points, 10 rebounds, and 14 assists. He recorded his fourth triple-double on November 18.

On November 23, he had 14 points and a team-record 20 assists. On November 27, he had 16 points and 16 assists with no turnovers. He was the first player since 1977–78 to do this.

On January 23, 2016, Rondo recorded his fifth triple-double of the season. Two days later, he had 20 assists and 10 rebounds. This gave him 10 or more assists in 12 straight games, a Sacramento record. The streak reached 14 games. On March 25, he broke Reggie Theus's record for most games with double-digit assists in a season for the Kings. On April 5, he recorded his sixth triple-double of the season. He had a season-high 27 points, 12 assists, and 10 rebounds. This set a Kings franchise record for triple-doubles in a season.

Chicago Bulls (2016–2017)

On July 7, 2016, Rondo signed a two-year contract with the Chicago Bulls. He made his debut on October 27 against his old team, the Boston Celtics. On December 2, he recorded his first triple-double of the season with 15 points, 12 assists, and 11 rebounds. Three days later, he was suspended by the Bulls for one game due to team conduct rules.

On March 13, 2017, Rondo scored a season-high 20 points. He had 6 assists and 7 rebounds. He scored even more on March 21, with 24 points. On April 1, he had a season-high 25 points and 11 rebounds. On April 21, Rondo broke his right thumb in a playoff game against the Celtics. He was out for the rest of the series. The Bulls had been up 2–0 with Rondo, but they lost the series in six games without him. On June 30, 2017, the Bulls released him.

New Orleans Pelicans (2017–2018)

On July 19, 2017, Rondo signed a one-year contract with the New Orleans Pelicans. He had surgery for a sports hernia in October and missed some time. He made his debut on November 13, 2017. On December 27, 2017, he set a franchise record with a career-high 25 assists in a game. He became only the seventh player in NBA history to reach 25 assists in a game.

On February 10, 2018, he recorded 25 points, 12 assists, and 10 rebounds in a double overtime win. In the playoffs, Rondo had 17 assists in Game 1 against the Portland Trail Blazers, tying a team record. In Game 4, he had 16 assists as the Pelicans swept the Trail Blazers. In the next round against the Golden State Warriors, Rondo had 21 assists in Game 3. This was the Pelicans' only win before they were eliminated.

Los Angeles Lakers (2018–2020)

Missing Playoffs (2018–19 Season)

On July 6, 2018, Rondo signed a one-year contract with the Los Angeles Lakers. He was expected to help and compete with younger point guard Lonzo Ball. In his Lakers debut, Rondo had 13 points and 11 assists. Two days later, Rondo was involved in a fight with Chris Paul during a game. Rondo received a three-game suspension.

After breaking his right hand in November, Rondo missed four to five weeks. He returned on December 21. On December 25, he sprained his right ring finger and needed surgery. He missed another 14 games. He returned on January 24, 2019. On February 7, he made a game-winning shot against the Celtics. This was his first career game-winning shot in the final 10 seconds.

On March 4, Rondo recorded his 32nd triple-double. He became the second player to get a triple-double with five different teams. On March 29, he had 17 assists and five steals. He was the first Lakers player to do this since Magic Johnson in December 1989.

Second Championship (2019–20 Season)

On July 8, 2019, Rondo re-signed with the Lakers. He played a very important part in the team winning the 2020 NBA Finals. This was his first championship in 12 years. He became the second player in NBA history to win a championship with both the Boston Celtics and the Lakers. Rondo's 105 assists in the 2020 NBA playoffs were the most by a player coming off the bench in a single postseason since 1971.

Atlanta Hawks (2020–2021)

On November 23, 2020, Rondo signed a deal with the Atlanta Hawks. He made his Hawks debut on December 28, 2020, with 12 points and 8 assists.

Los Angeles Clippers (2021)

On March 25, 2021, Rondo was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers. He made his debut on April 4 against his former team, the Los Angeles Lakers. On April 8, he had 15 points and 9 assists, both season highs.

On August 16, 2021, Rondo was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies. Twelve days later, he left the team after reaching an agreement.

Return to the Lakers (2021–2022)

On August 31, 2021, Rondo signed a one-year deal to return to the Lakers.

Cleveland Cavaliers (2022)

On January 3, 2022, the Lakers traded Rondo to the Cleveland Cavaliers. This was part of a three-team deal.

Career Statistics

NBA Regular Season Stats

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2006–07	Boston	78	25	23.5	.418	.207	.647	3.7	3.8	1.6	.1	6.4
2007–08	Boston	77	77	29.9	.492	.263	.611	4.2	5.1	1.7	.2	10.6
2008–09	Boston	80	80	33.0	.505	.313	.642	5.2	8.2	1.9	.1	11.9
2009–10	Boston	81	81	36.6	.508	.213	.621	4.4	9.8	2.3*	.1	13.7
2010–11	Boston	68	68	37.2	.475	.233	.568	4.4	11.2	2.3	.2	10.6
2011–12	Boston	53	53	36.9	.448	.238	.597	4.8	11.7*	1.8	.1	11.9
2012–13	Boston	38	38	37.4	.484	.240	.645	5.6	11.1*	1.8	.2	13.7
2013–14	Boston	30	30	33.3	.403	.289	.627	5.5	9.8	1.3	.1	11.7
2014–15	Boston	22	22	31.8	.405	.250	.333	7.5	10.8	1.7	.1	8.3
	Dallas	46	46	28.7	.436	.352	.452	4.5	6.5	1.2	.1	9.3
2015–16	Sacramento	72	72	35.2	.454	.365	.580	6.0	11.7*	2.0	.1	11.9
2016–17	Chicago	69	42	26.7	.408	.376	.600	5.1	6.7	1.4	.2	7.8
2017–18	New Orleans	65	63	26.2	.468	.333	.543	4.0	8.2	1.1	.2	8.3
2018–19	L.A. Lakers	46	29	29.8	.405	.359	.639	5.3	8.0	1.2	.2	9.2
2019–20	L.A. Lakers	48	3	20.5	.418	.328	.659	3.0	5.0	.8	.0	7.1
2020–21	Atlanta	27	2	14.9	.400	.378	.500	2.0	3.5	.7	.1	3.9
	L.A. Clippers	18	1	20.4	.486	.432	1.000	3.1	5.8	1.0	.1	7.6
2021–22	L.A. Lakers	18	0	16.1	.324	.267	.500	2.7	3.7	.7	.3	3.1
	Cleveland	21	1	19.4	.429	.397	.750	2.8	4.9	.9	.0	6.2
Career		957	733	29.9	.456	.324	.611	4.5	7.9	1.6	.1	9.8
All-Star		3	0	18.7	.545	.000	.000	1.7	7.0	.3	.0	4.0

NBA Play-in Stats

NBA Playoffs Stats

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2008	Boston	26	26	32.0	.407	.250	.691	4.1	6.6	1.7	.3	10.2
2009	Boston	14	14	41.2	.417	.250	.657	9.7	9.8	2.5	.2	16.9
2010	Boston	24	24	40.6	.463	.375	.596	5.6	9.3	1.9	.1	15.8
2011	Boston	9	9	38.3	.477	.000	.632	5.4	9.6	1.1	.0	14.0
2012	Boston	19	19	42.6	.468	.267	.696	6.7	11.9	2.4	.1	17.3
2015	Dallas	2	2	18.6	.450	.500	.000	1.0	3.0	.0	.0	9.5
2017	Chicago	2	2	33.7	.423	.000	.500	8.5	10.0	3.5	.5	11.5
2018	New Orleans	9	9	33.6	.413	.421	.643	7.6	12.2	1.4	.2	10.3
2020	L.A. Lakers	16	0	24.7	.455	.400	.684	4.3	6.6	1.4	.1	8.9
2021	L.A. Clippers	13	0	16.9	.340	.393	.667	2.6	3.8	.4	.2	4.2
Career		134	105	34.0	.440	.330	.649	5.6	8.5	1.7	.2	12.5

College Stats

Awards and Honors

Rondo during the Celtics' 2008 championship parade

• 2-time NBA champion: 2008, 2020
• 4-time NBA All-Star: 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013
• All-NBA Team:
  • Third Team: 2012
• 4-time NBA All-Defensive:
  • First Team: 2010, 2011
  • Second Team: 2009, 2012
• NBA All-Rookie selection:
  • Second team: 2007

Career Records and Achievements

Rajon Rondo holds several impressive records in the NBA and for the teams he played for.

NBA Regular Season Records

• In 2010, he led the league in steals (189 total) and steals per game (2.3).
• In 2012, he led the league in assists per game (11.7) and had the most triple-doubles (6).
• In 2013, he again led in assists per game (11.1) and triple-doubles (5).
• In 2016, he led in assists per game (11.7) and total assists (839).

NBA Playoffs Records

• In 2008, he had the most assists (172) and steals (45) in the playoffs.
• In 2009, he had the most assists (127) and triple-doubles (3) in the playoffs.
• In 2010, he had the most triple-doubles (2) and steals (46) in the playoffs.
• In 2011, he had the most triple-doubles (1) in the playoffs.
• In 2012, he had the most assists (227), assists per game (11.9), and triple-doubles (4) in the playoffs.

Boston Celtics Team Records

• Most assists in a single season: 794 (in the 2009–10 season)
• Most steals in a single season: 189 (in the 2009–10 season)
• Most assists in a playoff game: 20 (in the 2010–11 season)
• Most assists per game in a season: 11.7 (in the 2011–12 season)

New Orleans Pelicans Team Records

• Most assists in a single game: 25 (in the 2017–18 season)
• Most assists in a playoff game: 21 (in the 2017–18 season)

Images for kids

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  Rondo playing in May 2008

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  Rondo in December 2008

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  Rondo in December 2011

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  Rondo in January 2013

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  Rondo during the Celtics' 2008 championship parade

See also

In Spanish: Rajon Rondo para niños

• List of NBA annual steals leaders
• List of NBA annual assists leaders
• List of NBA career assists leaders
• List of NBA career steals leaders
• List of NBA career triple-double leaders
• List of NBA career playoff assists leaders
• List of NBA career playoff steals leaders
• List of NBA career playoff triple-double leaders
• List of NBA single-game assists leaders