Rajon Rondo: Winning with Celtics and Lakers, The LeBron Game

Rajon Rondo: Winning with Celtics and Lakers, The LeBron Game

What’s up everyone this is Mark Deo I just want to say thank you for giving us a listen or a watch and please do not forget to rate subscribe or review us we appreciate you giving us a listen and here’s the next episode of view from the Rapters behind the scenes with the

Boston Celtics presented by Flexar all right Rajan Rondo best point guard of the last how many years in Celtics history Grandy what do you think 40 50 I know you like to think I’m old I never saw Koozie play so believe it or not I see those films right where he’s like

You know do youever do you watch that stuff do you ever did you ever watch Bob Koozie films like old and Fir old old school not film but I’ve seen some YouTube of them just out of respect yeah just it’s yes that’s pretty cool like what when you watch cuz I’m dying to

Know I’m dying to know what you think of what the NBA is now what this game is now compared to 15 years ago what does the brain of Rajan Rondo think when you see what the NBA was back in the olden olden days slow as the train I mean yeah

I mean it’s really slow I mean obviously they have the fast trains now but uh it was slow the game was slow I was just talking to Phil pressy um about now like if I was to play in today’s game now like the way the pace is uh which I

Haven’t been gone for too long but when I first started you know the games would be 7986 you know 30 possession game 40 possession game now and it’s you know the cels are averaging 45 53s a game so it’s I think game seven 2010 I think was

8379 or something like that well now never it was a half time score now seriously the Philly game is going to live because of uncut gems right it’s going to live forever that game seven and that all those games were just were Rock fights but you you went there so

This is what I was really dying to know when you watch the game now with the speed in the threes I talked to Wally zerak the other night and Wally who you know he had his his moments even then when you say geez Wally I’m not sure he

Fits in with the game then in 2006 he’s the best but Wall-E now sits there and goes he’s watching it like this like a track meat going back and forth going I can’t it it makes it makes him nervous how fast the game is going now do you

Think you would have adjusted the way you played and that this could even have been an environment in which you would have thrived even more I truly believe that absolutely why I mean because of my speed and my Pace the way I play the game I was up Tempo guard always uh

Being able to get up get the ball up the court um and then like I said you shooting the ball within the first8 six seven seconds of the shot clock when I was playing early in my career you know we didn’t shoot possibly till you know

15 16 seconds in the shock loock so having more possessions U with the style that I play the game I believe I would have truly been a little bit better do you remember discussions of all the different places you ended up in different rooms with different staffs do

You remember discussions as the game was beginning this transition about wanting to play that way about hey why don’t we play this way why don’t we shoot earlier in the the shot clock why don’t we do you you’ve always been on the Forefront of any kind of conversation about the game and the

Style and the way it’s played do you remember opportunities in places you were where you could sort of see this transition happening and maybe pushing that a little bit I think my first team that I did get to that experience was probably Sacramento you know my first

Team first time going for a team Out West L the league and assist I did leave the league and assist yep I was able to manipulate the game and uh get guys the ball like said I play with Rudy banelli um DeMarcus Cousins you know was a big

Reason why I L the league in assist so U we played fast we play Up Tempo uh George Carl never talked about defense so it it’s pretty much offense get the ball out quick and go that’s kind of how we played we didn’t win we didn’t make

It to the playoffs but it was a fun year do you remember though first like the suns are probably the first team that started doing it right and that was right in the middle of right and and when we play when we played the Suns you

Knew you were get your your career high numbers because they didn’t play defense I mean that’s kind of how it was when you play the West Coast team they got that kind of uh you know stigma as far as they don’t play defense and you’re going to run and

And your numbers would inflate those games if you played now in this speed we’re talking about how many possessions are in each game how many assists do you think you would average I would say probably like about 145 uh it just depends on Personnel you know you still got to make shots this

Celtics team this Celtics team way they shoot it’s funny I was just watching them shoot a walk through five on0 offense I don’t think they took one layup I mean I just said they Sho about 40 503s a game and like I said it’s fun

To watch um you know the game is always evolving and you got to adapt or get left behind you watch this team now uh we’ve got a guard rotation of Drew holiday came in before the season Derek white obviously been here for a couple seasons was one of the best guards in

All of the playoffs last year pton Pritchard now getting a bigger role I know the way that you see the game um looking at those guys what do they bring in that Dynamic of those three guys being able to and Jo being at Joe missoula’s disposal throughout the

Season unselfishness I think those guys play a great role in sacrificing understanding you know who to get the ball to what particular time and making a little plays doing all the intangibles and I think that’s what Derek white you know he um excelled at last year in the

Playoffs and throughout his career you guys get to know drew a lot better this year and what he brings to the team and Pritchard as well you can go in on Drew though CU you guys were teammates yeah right my Orleans one of my favorite backc Court mates I’ve ever played with

What was it like being uh teammates with him and why is he one of your favorite back court teammates ever uh first of all he’s a great human being you know great characteristics on off the court um he’s one of the most hardworking guys I’ve ever been around uh in and out the

Weight room he’s very um strict on his diet and how he takes care of his body so um kudos to Drew he’s always been a great professional uh we ran into each other we bumped in and we got to become teammates in New Orleans and we had a

Great run in New Orleans played with Anthony Davis DeMarcus Cousins um great group of guys like I said we have a lot of things in common but one thing he does is compete at a high level do you appreciate that stuff more now you’re talking about the things we know the

Older we get and we become parents and our kids get older in life do you appreciate the better being a good human being and the character things do you appreciate those more now than you did when you were younger yeah absolutely I think that’s you know the part of life

You know you kind of sit back and you reflect and you understand that okay well it’s not this isn’t normal so you kind of appreciate it as you get older and for me you know being able to take with three first B Hall of Famers at 21 years old

I was kind of able to kind of understand what I was coming into versus now when I left the Celtics you know the guys and my teammates that I was around um Dirk LeBron you know a cousin so I got to appreciate greatness when I was around

It and and kind of understood where I was at you talk about that first team right that your well not your first team but your second team in your career with the three Hall of Famers playing around you guys win the title every time I think back on this team and you in

Particular I’m like how did this 21-year-old guy in his second season just fit in seamlessly with all of this Talent these guys who are like fighting for a title before their careers end and we’re talking about the big three how did you fit in with those guys cuz you were at such different

Stages of life like think were years apart yeah we hear all the time about you know first couple years a guy’s in a league he’s trying to make a name for himself and all these things so how did that work how did that work and you

Fitting in with those guys I think this the guys on the team the chemistry to camaraderie that dock instilled in US um just having a great leader and Doc understanding you know we went to Rome that first year um we were able to get away uh from our families uh for the

Greater good and kind of become a family on the road in Rome uh and turkey and we got to know one another again AG difference was a big gap but at the same time uh we had one common goal and that was the win and whatever it took a lot

Of guys had a sacrifice and that’s what you know it started with our vets doc brung and Sam Cassel who helped me out as well uh great coaches staff Allman Hill it was a team Collective effort it was a great organization overall which is still is today but particularly in

Those uh the people that made it run in that particular time was was fun for me to be a part of and that’s why I clicked and and we jailed so well you were watching it all and I wonder you know I called every game that you played in

Starting in 2006 in that that difficult first year yeah what was it 18th Street 18 here the thing some somebody here somebody here may wanted out I did want out yeah first year I was frustrated I um uh I felt like I was doing what I had

To do in practice to get some playing time um and I did play my rookie year but you know coming from Kentucky going to a franchise like this and NBA and it’s like is this normal you know you lose 18 straight games like and and nothing Chang and I I can’t make an

Impact I feel like I can do much more but I you know I couldn’t I feel like my hands were tied and I’ve had great mentors in my life Doug BBY um my agent at the time uh Bill Duffy you know they always told me cream RIS is to the top

So I try to stay focused continue to work hard and then full circle one year later well what a difference the year makes I was able to still be in the Celtics luckily I didn’t get was in that eight blockbuster trade because at first it was I remember the first day the

Trade happened my name was on the screen yeah it was so I didn’t know that yeah I was sitting at home my mom’s house and that was before W bombs were coming out right right yeah so I was sitting at home my mom’s house and I see my name on

The screen I was kind of kind of relieved like I was get out of there because I want the opportunity to play and showcase my talent because then I think it was a threeyear contract or two-year contract where you had a opportunity if not you re bouncing out

The leag quickly so I wanted to play and I was a competitor and I just try to continue to work and get better and then a year later it kind of came it happened for me do you ever was there ever a moment you thought about what how your

Life would have been different if Glen Taylor and Kevin mcale got their way and you were the guy they wanted you were the one that Danny Wick and everybody said no they just dug their feet in the sand said we’re not giving up Rondo you ever wonder what your life would have

Been like how different it would have been had you gone on that path don’t want to think about it no I don’t I don’t um not at all ex cuz that same year I was able to win so there was never no looking back um again not

Taking for granted being able to play with three future Hall of Famers and the rest of my teammates that were great to me as well so um Brotherhood to this day so that’s what I’m appreciative of and I never look in the past of what it could

Have been especially when things went so well for me in my my future you mentioned the age difference which I think is so interesting that people don’t think of it that way they see a team on the floor and they don’t understand the difference between a

12year vet who’s 31 right and 21 old kid just of you know doesn’t know anything we we have have it here now with Jaylen and Jason who have grown together but you know Jaylen has had his own life and is as fascinating and as mature and as

In depth a young man as you’re ever going to meet and yet Jason’s had a different path because he’s been a dad right away and it’s always been fascinating to watch what do you know now in your life if you could tell 22y old Rajan something about playing with these guys

About being in the moment about having those years in front of you that you he couldn’t possibly have known them that you know now what would it be just not taking the game for granted you know I know it’s sounds you know pretty cliché but at the same time it

Really is a True Value to play for organization like this for one um because you don’t be being in the league for 16 years I didn’t play for organization like this every team I played for a lot of great ones but you know this the characteristics of this

Organization the people that run this place uh are great human beings and coming back today almost 18 almost 20 years later it’s like a lot of people are still here so it shows you what type of organization this is how they take care of their people and what this is

About everybody says I want to play with one team my whole career I want to be one of those guys I always answer need to cut you but I always answer those questions that camp and I’m like I thought I wanted to be you know the

Derek uh you know rest in peace Kobe yeah but it’s like for me personally I’m thankful that I was able to experience living in so many different cities you know I lived in Chicago I lived in Dallas Sacramento Los Angeles and get paid to do it um and get my family have

That experience Atlanta Atlanta I mean it was three weeks in Atlanta but we don’t have time to go through the ball right it’s easy to forget um like I said I’m thankful for that experience in life you know like I said I always thought about

It and when I came back here it’s so different you know I’ve been gone for a long time but being in this part of town you know I never really was here when I was a Celtic you know was we was way out in walam I lived in Lincoln and we went

To Lincoln and downtown it was kind of back and forth was it wasn’t the the middle ground here where we are now in Cambridge so um you know I’m thankful that I did have the opportunity to play for different teams different cities different experiences now I’m able to

Network and reach out to different people and team teams and kind of follow up Mark you just saw did you see the Rondo brain working there he knew what my question was going to be about the different experiences and 3 seconds in just just buzzed in just buzzed in and

Had it I get that question it’s a great question all the time it’s like well it is because it is who can imagine I I did three years in Minnesota and I’ve been here for 20 something I don’t know how Sacrament Kings work I don’t know the the intricacies of that organization the

Chicago Bulls or whatever it is and it just seems like it it has made you a more complete person especially someone I’ve never met a player who matched your intellectual curiosity about anything from everything from connect for to how the organization works and yet it just

Seems like you know we don’t we don’t choose our path right we don’t man you can be appreciative of it definitely thankful cuz like I said I always thought was like man I want to be that guy cuz I was here for nine eight and a

Half nine years so it’s like I want to retire one team and you know like I said the man upstairs had a different plan I’m thankful that you know it went that way he mentioned Connect 4 why what was this thing you were like the most competitive Connect 4 player like I I

Learned this like day one when I came to the Celtics in 09 everyone’s like if there’s a Connect Four game on the table Rondo’s going to play and it doesn’t matter if you’re seven years old or 30 years old like he’s going to try to your

Ass beat four moves yeah so for me what came about it was I had curfew when I was younger I had to be on the porch when the porch light cames on when the street lights came on I had to be on the porch and and I didn’t want to go in so

I always told my friends to come in the neighborhood and we sit and play Connect 4 on the porch and you always won I didn’t always win and I still always went down I lose a lot online but in person I’ve been you playing Connect 4

Online right now no not now I play chess okay so um you transitioned I’ve transitioned to chess now so that’s more of a little more intellectual yes you playing you like Max you playing anonymously and some some gu the middle of nowhere doesn’t know he’s playing

Chess against I play all the time yes you know Max plays what is it is it solit Max plays solitire he plays poker he plays yeah during during game broadcast yeah keeps him focused I can see that I probably would play chess during the broadcast if I could I mean

We could try it out would you he’s already set he’s like he could fit right into the chair soon as we’re done you mentioned no speaking of radio broadcast I learned something recently that I never ever knew which is funny when you’re in this life many years so there

Is a the famous moment on the Friday night game in Atlanta where you tear your ACO overtime game didn’t know I tore my of course you didn’t and now I just found out when you found out you tore your ACL and who’s the one who said

It you heard the news when you were driving back to the game it was you yeah so you’re listening to the game coming back did you who told you give me that so we started seeing that this is the beginning this is the dawn of the W yeah

ER you’re saying you were before the time well we were we’re reporting what’s being reported online so here’s it was a strange sequence of events right so you have the Friday night game which you finished Saturday we knew you didn’t practice but a lot of guys didn’t

Practice it wasn’t a thing we get to the game Sunday I don’t remember if you were out there warming up I was warming up I had I had 25 heat packs on my body because I had my B it was cold for one in the garden it was freezing I had like

Three on my knees I have my back and I think I had them on my achilles but again this is typical me I’m young I’m thinking just a couple nights rest I’ll be back to normal I know it’s a nationally televised game and it’s nationally televised game I think I had

Two triple doubles back to back and I think record was three I was playing against LeBron on a Sunday so it was like you were ready to go I feel like I was going to get it done yeah there’s no way he’s missing it so he’s out there so

The last thing you’re thinking is there’s a serious okay Rondo’s not playing today but the last thing you’re thinking is is a serious injury I was still playing until that point now I went back into the locker room um the doc came back he was like

You know lay on the table I’m like not that doc the other dock yeah no no not Rivers um so I go back to um lay on the training table and he do does the knee check he’s like oh you’re not playing like I’m like what I’m surprised I’m

Like I’m about to get this triple double we’re about to win my whole mindset is already in the game so I disappointed he’s like go get an MRI I’m like all right whatever no biggie so I go to the hospital I think it’s it’s a Sunday I

Think that was the hospit I’m not sure if it was closed it was that Wing was closed I think the MRI Wing was closed nobody was in in the building Sunday afternoon so I go get the MRI literally it’s just one person in NSE getting it

Done me the doctor and the lady that’s running the MRI scan we get back in the car and that’s when I heard your voice and I look at the doc like how the hell did you I haven’t even got back to go straight to gry’s inbox it had to I

Wasn’t even in the arena and I was like is this Doc is this true who who said this like you don’t even know you even you don’t have the disc so where’d you get it it was being I don’t remember specifically but it was being reported

That there was a torn ACL you came back to the building Max I sent Ma I’m like Rondo’s right down there you know we’re obviously we’re we’re trapped in the corner there which we still are and I see Rondo out of the you know out of the

Corridor behind the bench in that area in the corner and I send Max down I said the Rondo’s right there and Max goes down the stairs and you told him I’ll be I’ll be back into something something Rondo like defiant I’ll be back in two weeks I’ll be back in whatever it’s

Going to be and so I it was the first ever viral tweet I ever had because I just reported Maxis Dr Rondo and he said he’ll be back at and yeah that thing went berserk but that’s how strange a day it was that we didn’t the the

Funling of information to back in a few weeks back in a few weeks to all this stuff is going on in the middle of a nationally televised game on ABC you didn’t even have confirmation yourself yet so I got back to the arena then doc pulled me the doc pulled me in

Doc’s office sat me down and was like you’re done I’m like uh for today he’s like no you’re out for the season so that was that I think I had a couple tears frustrated sad all above and then kind of just went from there and bird

Still has the record and bird still has the record yes listen you mentioned I want to get back to this because you mentioned at some point before that that this place was a little bit different than your other eight stops and probably there were some there were some n 10 I

Don’t know I think it was eight others okay nine total okay um how about this he has been good we just passed the point you were here so long it was essentially you were here eight and a half years and it’s all it’s just been a

Little more than eight and a half years since you’re gone that’s how crazy it is that’s how long you were here is that the time that you have been gone is basically same same but when you look I’m always curious and people say it’s different and all these things but when

You look back what is it that was different about your experience here as opposed to some of the other places that you were at the people people the fans um when we won it I I remember vividly it’s like when I wanted even till to to

This day people would say thank you you know versus like oh congratulations a lot of people say congratul rations good job champ but people here were like appreciative grateful thankful that you know we bring a championship back to Boston in so many years because at that

Age I was 21 but they didn’t win it or last time they won it was 1986 when I was born y was kind of ironic that I was born the year they won it uh and then come in Full Circle being able to get a championship at a young age with you

Know a lot of great teammates would you say it’s personal here they take ask anyone ask any of the 2004 Red Sox right they’ll tell you people we so thankful to them like this is you know they did it to my grandfather they did it to my father you like delivered it to

Me it’s personal title to right Mark you know what I thought when I found out Flex car was going to be our new sponsor no what’ you think I don’t know I don’t know what I thought neither did I but then I went and checked to that and and

It’s basically a car subscription and you choose the mileage package that fits you best and that’s it okay cool it’s it’s honestly pretty cool and it includes roadside assistance 24/7 car insurance and maintenance it’s all included in one bill all in one bill the only thing that is not included is the

Gas you put in the tank and on top of that it’s cheaper it’s like 10 to 20% cheaper than buying or leasing a car and what are you doing right now I’m finding my next car all right well if you’re doing that make sure you use the code

Rafters and you’ll get 100 free Miles when you sign up so on that note let’s go through some of the moments that everyone talks about when they talk about Rondo and Boston we’ll start out with one we’ll go kind of chronological here so 2010 playoffs Cavs we talked to pierce about

This he wanted you guys wanted the Cavs that year absolutely you you actually tried to manipulate the standing so you would get them do ask us do asked us yeah he asked you if you guys wanted which see kind of how do we go about getting into the playoffs or you know

Who do you want to face or first or last type of thing and we wanted to see them early was it it was like resounding everyone on the same page about that I don’t know about everybody but I know me personally I wanted to handle the smoke early

Why I like to get straight to it I don’t want to you know prolong anything or you know we go two series and then someone else get hurt you know let’s let’s go through the best early and while we’re healthy and let’s see what we we’re made

Of so obviously you guys come out on top but that moment it’s LeBron’s last game with you guys basically ended LeBron with the Cavs the first time around I remember walking him off the court taking his jersey off and it was just like it felt like a Tipping Point in the

NBA something big was going to happen after that which it did obviously went down to Miami took his talents to Miami he did but what do you what do you remember about that series and that night in particular when you guys came out on top when everyone was thinking

LeBron was like ready to punch through well we knew from the beginning you know from beginning of the Season what we were capable of and if we continue to believe and stay unselfish um we’re able to make sacrifices and believe in each other we could beat anybody and we knew

It wasn’t a oneman show and we knew that going into it you know Paul May had a match up but all other four guys were challenging LeBron as well and you guys wanted like I just remember so vividly you guys were going to kg in the post

Like over and over and over I think he had a Jameson match up yeah he was Jameson so you know Jameson was about my age now going against Kevin then so it was kind of we wanted to take advantage of it and even to that um the game today

Is still about mismatches and we had we had three Hall of Famers so somebody had a mismatch each night in in that particular series uh we wanted to feature Kevin a little bit more I know you guys became teammates later on you and LeBron you’re obviously good friends

Now you won a championship together we’re not going to talk about that with the Lakers gives me goosebumps not in a good way but um it felt like you guys broke him that night it was like he he realized something something has to change for me career-wise to be able to

Reach the levels that I want to get to well he made a smart move move he did yeah uh give him Kudos I mean like I said we had a we had a strong team that year and the guys that he had with him were good but they weren’t good enough

And he went regrouped um made a great decision moved to Miami and he ended up breaking us when he came back in the garden and dropped but 46 yeah he it was a close we had them and then he came in the garden and he was Unstoppable so he

Got his lick back and again if if we beat him that year I think we another championship what did you I mean LeBron is one of the few guys that I plays at your level basketball brain wise I can’t imagine the IQ level of those conversations did you ever talk about

Those Celtic teams and those games him playing against your Celtic teams no never did we um we talked about the game where he the game I was talking about the one he scored 46 he’s definitely gonna bring that up to he talk about he talked about the mindset and I think I

Talked to um Joel is it Joel Anthony Jo Anthony had a cup of coffee yeah and then uh D way they were talking about his mindset in the locker room and he said like we’re not going to lose this game and then you know being on the

Other side we didn’t know that was his mindset but he came out and delivered that was I that was the moment where his career changed yeah that’s the moment his career changed nothing was like in his eyes that even me as as a fan and

Like working for the team I was like it was unbel in deep it was unbelievable the way he played at night and I was like like play lawe game one game two not the game that the close out game we could have closed him out but he delivered and that’s you know that’s

What greatness does they show up when need him I think the the Celtics place in LeBron’s career was fascinating because of 2008 because of 2010 and because of that night and when even in 2011 when they had eliminated the Celtics in in Miami eliminated you guys when you when BOS

The shot Corner the shot right and you guys were all bank that was when you and dwade had your first T up yeah all that stuff but you could see the relief it meant so much to LeBron because he like you understands the history of this game and knows there’s

That always that obstacle you have to overcome and the Celtics were that for him right just like kind of how the Pistons were when we won our first like you know they were the team to beat uh going into Detroit getting uh game six done that was difficult and we knew that

We had to go through the Champs become Champs and that’s what it takes you just brought it up so let’s go right in we’re not going chronological anymore but 2011 well was it game three game three you guys are playing at TD Garden you’re

Down 20 to the heat you’re up I think it was 60 to 50 third quarter looking like all right we feel like the series is going to turn the other direction and down you and Wade get tangled up something happens you dislocate your elbow what do you remember about those

Moments and I don’t even know how you played the rest of the game but like what do you remember about that night he just played on a torn ACL by the way I I just remember you playing with one arm like you literally dribbling with one arm playing with one arm throughout the

Rest of that night and the rest of the series I was like this guy’s a maniac yeah uh it caught up with me I think it was a game did we get to game seven that year no was we the fourth game was an overtime loss which eventually turn

Around the following year close series for a five game series yeah um that particular play like I said I it was kind of a freak accident um we were teammates after that you know so it’s no bad blood but I think he broke it on purpose or tried um

You know he’s a competitor um you say that with a straight face like you really think that he was uh I don’t know I he wasn’t trying to hurt you I I don’t think he knew jiujitsu anything like that but he uh you know it

Was a camora by the way he want the MMA term for what it was okay he made a play um you know I I said I don’t think it was targeting me in the locker room or it was talks to take me out or anything like that it’s like I said he was

Playing made a play on the ball or tried to make a play on the ball and making a play on my elbow yeah how did you play the through the rest of that night in series adrenaline just like every other injury it’s like um for me it was a

Mindset uh I went back in the locker room they’re trying to shoot me up they’re trying to you know tell me I shouldn’t play and I’m like I got to go you know I’ll be back later we can figure this out a couple weeks from now

Be back later doc just kind of how I say was my ACL like I didn’t I didn’t want to succeed to suum suum to um an injury to where I couldn’t play or perform for my teammates what did they have to do like did you go back in the they

Actually doc actually snapped it back once he even before I went back to the locker room so it got it snapped back in place and then the still it was the numbness of you know the burning of the tingling but again my mindset was trying

To get back out there on the court and help my teammates win the game for anyone who didn’t watch that game any of our younger fans like imagine this guy playing in a huge game with in series literally with one arm at both ends of the Court like I don’t know that I’ll

Never forget the sight of that of you kind of remember I got a steal and I was kind of I think I I was like hobbling or holding my hand certain way when I was Dripping the ball it was like you were playing in a sling but you didn’t have a

Sling yeah against LeBron and I don’t know it was nuts I know you remember that moment well that was the I mean by the that was sort of an inevitability Shaq was hurt that year uh you know he never really made it back and then he

Got hurt again late in the year or soon as he came back there were other I think Delante was there were all kinds of injuries and you just got the feeling it wasn’t going to be right it was just it it was their it was their time which is

Why again when you’re talking about LeBron having that game six they failed in the finals and LeBron didn’t have that great finals against Dallas which is why 2012 you know mattered so much to him and that to me that 2012 series we skipped ahead to game six but that of

Course you have Paul stared down in game five and your game two down there which was I I think I described at the time I just remember doc coaching was so much force at that point you knew it was everything you knew it was sort of the last chance and

It just felt like one of those NBA moments that you are in when you know history is happening one way the other you feel like that is what was going on absolutely yeah it was fun to be a part of and like I said reflecting back on it

It’s I’m thankful I was a part of that type of history in the game and then you go on to be teammates with him later I I’ve always tried to wrap my head around this well Fair he was teammates with pretty much everybody covered I mean I

Was teammates with way before Bron so um yeah I’m pretty much had a teammates with everybody let’s go through that though I mean both of them so obviously in the moment in in 2011 when you and Wade go down and you’re arm pops out you’re pissed you’re probably pissed for

At least a few years after that I think it was more so my family and cousins and everybody were pissed were pissed they were more pissed than me um everyone in Celtics Nation yeah Celtics nation was pissed so but you had seven I think it was seven years later you became

Teammates okay so that long I think it was I mean I could be wrong but it’s it’s happened you are but it doesn’t matter cuz yeah 2017 is another you want to get in the into the mind R 2017 in the Chicago Bull series to me is there’s

Something so seminal about this to me so the Bulls come in and win the first two games yeah Isaiah Isaiah loses his sister remember this and he comes back and he plays there’s all this emotion already in the series the bus come in and win the first two games in the

Series before he gets hurt but when you talk about that series you weren’t playing against Isaiah or Avery or Jay who are you preparing against in that series Brad St go Stevens absolutely why why was he I know you’ve discussed this a little bit but

Why was he the guy on your mind isaah was the engine scoring wise you know he had a hell of a year scoring um did he have a scoring record that year or the did he Le the NBA scoring top five he he was up there one of leaving the fourth

Quarter and scoring the NBA he was yeah fifth I think he was second or third all time and scoring for a single season BR was the magician who made the team go you know he had all the tricks uh the gimmicks he loved being unorthodox and

High coaching sty to play the game so for me um I had a lot of downtime Year let me go back so in Chicago that year um Wade called me before we became teammates it’s like hey everything’s cool like everything cool no of course not my main focus I’m like I just want

To win I got opportunity to play with a lot of great teammates again it was Jimmy D way and then myself so I was like you know put everything in the past let’s go ahead and win it’s your hometown I love living in Chicago was I

Was I think it’s the closest city that I’ve been to as far as close to home so it was three-hour drive so a lot of family come up as well Years start off pretty good next thing you know I get I get benched they they they bring in I think uh

Campaign uh Michael Carter Williams and I’m benched for maybe I want to say 20 25 games and for me to stay mentally focused on mentally stuff I was always just I would go random cities or not random I would go random uh neighborhoods of Chicago and play

Basketball just play runs and just play just stay in shape because I never likeed the treadmill I couldn’t just come in the gym and run up down the court I always wanted to play basketball to stay inag Rondo walks into your pickup game like in the middle of the

Season yeah I mean especially if you already had the first pick and I’m like I’ll take Mark and then the next guy and then I’ll take Rond I’m like it was a little more strategic shout out to Chicago it was they called it uh 150s

Yeah so we play to 150 so like I said we ging down 150 whoever scored 150 points first it was a lot of great great cardio a lot of great guys I appreciate you guys helping me stay in shape and get me focused so fast forward like I said I

Got benched for almost 20 games that year we turn around a little bit going into the playoffs I’m back in the start lineup so for me I had that was my motivation okay you guys want to bench me I’mma show you end up trying to do my

Best as I could possibly do we win the first two games I get hurt we don’t win another game so for me that was kind of like their karma on how they treated me versus uh me not being able to feel my feel the destiny as far as me winning

And beating the Celtics but it was nevertheless I felt great to win those two games and felt like I had a great you know role that I played in while we won and then we lost four straight uh that was kind of I guess a slap in the

Face of the organization when dwade called you you what was the conversation basically we are we cool like is it you know there’s no bad blood man you know it’s always about taking a high road MH when I led you to have the answer about Brett it involved you outthinking him

And preparing in that Series so as those games are going on you had a special meeting right you called D way together and Jimmy what what were you trying to do put a different plays in so we uh we stay in the Four Seasons right downtown

And again like I wasn’t really I don’t think I was even part of The Scouting Port that much because again they I was taking out a lineup so I don’t think Brad Was preparing for me I Was preparing for him so I had a little of

An advantage um but I have to ask him that we had it um we had a Mee and I asked the guys to stay back D way and Jimmy in particular and I want to put in a offense that we play out of the elbow

Um we called it C action at the time it was all all of us were interchangeable uh and we made certain reads off the post off the high post and I think those plays worked in the fourth quarter and we able to get a a couple dubies in

Boston I thought that series was over I I knew it was over I mean first two at0 yeah we was up 20 we like it was we were eight seed uh going back to Chicago uh the only thing that was disappointing is that we thought you know the energy

Would be a little bit better in the arena and it just wasn’t what it needed to be for us to be up 20 on a number one seed the Boston Celtics because if you if you go back the energy that was in the arena when we played against the Ben

Gordons when Ray hit the shot we three over times that was what expecting going back but now I’m being on the opposite team and it wasn’t that so that’s the only disappointment in you two something find game six in 2009 of that series those overtime games and you and Kirk

Hinrich had a little friendly tumble front of us the scor yeah Zach zaro was a young official in that game and he was I I always thought that was one of the better officiated games I’ve ever seen because they had to keep that thing right here without exactly it was it was

I think it was right at playoff basketball you know it was at the point where you almost see us going to blows but at the same time it was controlled enough to where we STI we kept at basketball and we competed at a high level that was my first playoff series

Working in the NBA okay and I was like all be like that oh man yeah it that that literally might be the best playoff series it’s on the short that was insane it was like overtime every night sometimes double triple overtime Ben Gordon is going nuts Ray Allen’s going

It just had everything I think I um did I knock out Brad Miller’s teeth you did try to say I mean thr so maybe that was my karma with d way I mean all comes full you we never know like I said all fun trying to win the game it wasn’t unintentional but

Like I said was it was a competitive series and um it was fun to be a part of and then like I said going against the the the the Young D Rose yeah yeah that’s right yeah rookie rookie for his ACL stuff whatever there were a couple

Times I looked at the person next to me I’m like that man’s going to be a problem yeah yeah three years after that in 2020 you were in the bubble with LeBron and the Lakers and the Celtics were playing Miami in the other Conference Final you’re going to face

The winner what did LeBron say to you finishing up that conversation about preparing for Brad three years earlier what did LeBron say well funny I remember CU so I tore my well I think I tore a li in my thumb in the bubble so I left for about six weeks again another

Injury um but I came back and we had actually a football draft in the room in the bubble we had to make fun of whatever we could do SE yeah yeah so we had a football draft uh I got the video of I probably won’t ever release it

Maybe one day but it was you can give we’ll put it out for you if you we had like the we play the music and everything it was fun we had a Podium and everything but we were watching the game had the draft and then we watching

The the Heat game and LeBron you know told me he had SPO and I had Brad so that was kind of the mindset of going into the finals whoever whatever team won we were going to prepare for the to beat the coaches versus the players with all du respect to the

Players spent all these minutes talking about it as I did for all the years you were here and all the years in the league about your brain and how it works which of course has always Begg the question how do you want to use that brain do you ever want to coach and

There were always and I’ll tell you this and you can imagine who some of them are there are coaches who said to me that would be Karma if Rondo had to coach somebody with all all the grief he gave me how do you want to use that brain in

This next part of your your life you’re you’re at you’re around Kentucky you’re going back to school talk about that but is coaching something while the rest of us have always said oh he’d be a great coach if he ever wanted to someone’s going to ask you at some point if you

Actually want to do it I do I do want to coach I love teaching uh right now I particularly love teaching my son so uh and his teammates so I feel like they get a lot of uh benefits as far as me being back to the game and not

Necessarily playing or even being around the NBA or college game but being around them I have a a program that I spend a lot of time with um I think I call my Au coaches every day they’re like can this guy leave me alone I’m looking at kids you know class

Of 2030 29 looking at the talent level you’re like Mike Zar looking at the high school players understanding kids are being you know reclassified guys are holding back like it’s just kind of crazy with the world I’m 7 to now but it’s like it’s all for the greater good

Of him and his for him to benefit on my knowledge of the game but also with the team and that that particularly that the young age what I love most is that we watch film you know I’m teaching those guys the film and it’s allowing me to

Learn patience you able to teach 11 12y old kids not understanding what the whole basketball scope is about but at the same time understanding that guys of my age and at this level still don’t know the game to where I feel like they need to be so um it’s been fun it’s been

A fun process and I love teaching I love giving back so at what point do you take the step from aaou and and young kids to teaching the best in the world well Dion has a great blueprint right now um he’s coached his son yeah yeah you know he

You look back on his stories he’s coached his son at same age now then he went to high school then he went to college so I don’t know if that’s the steps I’ll take but that’s definitely hell of a blueprint um but we’ll see

Like I said I have a lot of great ties I played with so many different teams and organizations uh built a lot of great relationships with coaches in the past and uh who knows what the future holds but right now me being here with with Coach Joe uh he’s younger but he’s just

A lot you know he’s really wise and I love you know coming here the last couple days or these next couple days and trying to learn as much as I can from him and his St that weird to you that the the head coach of the Celtics is 2 years younger

Than you no I mean this the world we live in today you know I mean you can’t you can’t judge a person’s intellect or what he knows personally but looking at him just for the last hour understanding his dedication and what this means to him uh is greatly appreciated has anyone

Called wait a minute wait a minute hold on a second because you knew it all when you were 22 so how’s he going to say I thought I knew it all that and that’s just it isn’t that I mean there’s sort of a aren’t the things when people talk about

The Rondo personality aren’t those the things that made you great on the court didn’t weren’t they Inseparable the things that people if coaches said oh man that Rondo man it’s difficult aren’t those the same characteristics that made you the player that refused to acknowledge you had a torn ACL it’s the

Same thing isn’t it absolutely the player that you know would stay up after games and watch film for two hours just as a coach was so uh when I was I guess challenging at times it was because of the work I put in it wasn’t just

Thinking I at all and not doing anything about it you know I was I was up at you know to 2: 3 in the morning watching film and what I tell players now is I would watch film myself first um the first go around and then I’ll watch film

On my best players or the other team my other teammates so I can figure out their strength and weaknesses as well to make them better so me putting that work in at times I would you know challenge or ask certain questions because you know I’m putting in just as much work as

You are if not more on top of me coming out here and playing at the same time and being on the court making making the play the first time that I heard you say this publicly that you used to watch what two two and a half hours of film

After each game yeah I would have a glass of wine and be up kind of much all night everyone else in the house would fall asleep I would have dinner like I said I would go back and watch and I would love to watch I’m not going to

Tell you how I watch film I’m not going to give that secret up but I would watch it twice and it would it would take me a very very very long time so the first thing that went through my head now you just kind of answered of when when you

Did it in the night but I was like is that what he was doing when we were waiting in the locker room for him to come out and talk for like 2 hours every single night I got that from Kevin Garnet can you take us into it cuz folks

We had we had some long ass nights waiting for you guys to come out and it was as if Rondo and kg you know in in his day it was like you were playing games with us of like who who are going to be the last Sur surviving media

Members who are going to wait this long for me to come out and then ask me questions and trust me it would start at like 20 or 30 people and it would dwindle and it would dwindle and he would come out and there’ be like maybe

Eight 10 left perfect at that time but no it was it wasn’t personally with the media it was more so what I tell I was just telling uh I guess Tatum there and uh in Horford what we would do after the game was we would be in the training

Room talking about the game and win or lose that particular year the first year we obviously won a lot but we always trying to figure out what we could do better as a team like immediately immediately we all just kind of hang out in the training room like I said Paul

And Kevin would be getting treatment I’m young so I didn’t really I would already shower just kind of sitting there with my clothes but as through time getting older I would trying start to get a treatment but we always try to figure out how we can do what we can do better

How we can slow down whatever guy we’re playing against or what we looking forward to into next game and that’s just kind of I think that’s why we won so early is because our focus and our mindset and now looking back at the other teams I played for it never

Happened again you know you you win lose guys get showered they go to family they get out of there but that particular team we would always hang around the training room and talk the game and figure out what we can do better to win what did when you told Jason and Al that

What was their reaction were you saying it as like hey this is something we did it could help you guys no it was just kind of having a conversation um kind of like just kind of know replaying like how it was when I was here and like I

Said this the mindset of being around such great players and and how that Focus was and how we all wanted to sacrifice and what it meant to win last thing before we let you go we have to talk about it you went to the other side you went to the other

Side and after playing them in the finals twice one win one L yeah I’m just curious you know from a players perspective was it hard like was there any bit of your insides that were like this I just don’t want to do this but I

Kind of have to it was not hard we’re talking about going to the Lakers I don’t want to say the name but it wasn’t hard at all cuz you know why sound like he had a game when he shot here against that didn’t happen right you know why it

Wasn’t hard Bron guy is that why it was easy it was definitely that I I remember um I was in Louisville standing in the living room in front of the TV and I was watching him play and I was like if I get a chance to play with him I’m going

To win like he’s been to the finals I think eight nine times in a row and I was like if I could play with LeBron I’ll win another championship but that wasn’t the Tipping Point The Tipping Point was it was two teams that was gave me a

Job that year I mean what what do I do I can’t just stay loyal and stay unemployed so I mean you could but I don’t think anyone would advise that I wanted to play and and they had high interest and you know it’s like someone shows your interest and you like

Them a little bit you’re going to you’re going to bite so uh I took the bite and uh took the bait and like I said the rest is history how did that Championship I mean totally different scenarios for you personally in your career where you are we didn’t get a

Damn parade that’s the only thing I regret we did not get a parade but what I loved about that one in particular I was telling the media that um Eddie House did something for me when we won it 2008 one thing I loved and appreciated was that he had his son on

The sideline the whole time and for me coming full circle I was able to have my son in the bubble uh with me um him going to class online him taking piano lessons him be able to hang out train with Deion Way’s son Dwight Howard’s son

Jared dely son they were able to get workout in after we worked out in practice so having that moment with and sharing that with him that’s what made it special when um you know I don’t have any regrets of going to Lakers and having that experience so I don’t think

You could I mean it it hurt all of us inside to see see that number nine on on the Lakers but you got to do what you got to do yeah yeah got to stay I had to stay employed at that particular time but you know here we are a few years

Later um you had been away for a while it’s awesome to have you back I know you come to a few games over the years when kg got his number up when Paul got his number up um you came back last year as well for a game or two it’s just it’s

Awesome to have you guys back and you in particular cuz you know you’ve been a little bit detached for a while absolutely but you know give credit to Joe it starts with Joe you know he sent us out an email uh I was telling the

Media Paul called me at like 2: 3 in the morning excited hey they want us back I’m like what like he’s like you know they want us back they want us to be around the guys um you know he would love to welcome you

Up and all that so I was like you know sure I’ll take up the offer and having this type of energy and seeing so many familiar faces is uh it’s been a great day for me so far and I’m looking forward to the next couple days kind of

Hanging out with the old old guys here in the ca organization has it sunk in that you’re people I people used to say to me hey I watch you all the time and then now they say I watched you all the time when I was in high school and

That’s you know pretty soon you’re the longtime guy and you’re the old guy whatever has it sunk in yet being around here and coming back the last couple years and seeing how when I first came here 20 years ago everyone talked about the 80s oh Larry and Kevin and those

Guys now the fans now you’re the Legends when you come back and kg comes back and Paul comes back has it sunk in yet that you’re a legend you’re a Boston Celtics Legend it’s humbling hearing that um and when I went to the game last year to get

The reception that we got and when I come back I do feel it um but being away so so much in different organizations I try to stay out of it as far as like I said from the media standpoint and getting on the internet I kind of just I

Kind of felt like I live in a bunker in a sense you know I kind of stay off the news or the internet as much as possible and just kind of be where I am with my my family and friends as president in Louisville Kentucky so um but another

Thing that makes me feel old or understand that I am old is I’ve been running the camp back home for 16 years and now I see I see I see adults kids are going yeah I was in your Camp my kid is in your camp like you’re older than

Me like okay so it’s uh it’s been fun no it’s great it’s great having you back I’m sure we’re going to see you more throughout the season and uh we appreciate you coming on and back to class back to class yep by the way he’s getting his degree

In in Communications and journalism what a can you tell me about that flip I mean this is is the guy who didn’t want to talk to the media now he’s working working to be media learning about the media uh the change that that it’s made

In in this days the world we in today it’s it’s been fun and being in class at 37 versus 18 I just can tell you now I’m paying a lot more attention you didn’t have to pay attention then no I had I had it was all

About playing I had a go I had a goal in mind when I was in class at 18 19 years old um now looking back I appreciated my time there but I was trying to get to to the NBA different times it’s the most backwards thing we do we make 18year

Olds pick what they want to do with our life when you don’t know anything about life everybody should go back to college everybody should go back to college especially especially every retired or ex-nba player they’re willing to pay for the education long as you get the grades I think it’s something you definitely

Should do I don’t know if my wife would be cool with me going back to college you should definitely go back to get listen a couple years ago I I went to a a Penn State football game I wound up at a frat party I’m not going to lie that’s

Not the same thing I’m talking about you understand that’s not yeah all right that’s a that’s a good point to end this uh but Rajan thanks for coming back on man we’ll see you around this season and hopefully it’s Banner 18 coming at the end of this this a good chance of

Looking like It

Rajon Rondo didn’t just win two NBA championships during his NBA career. He did so while playing on both sides of the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers rivalry. Rondo explores the differences in those two experiences, and how each came to be, throughout this episode.

Rondo also gives his perspective both of being the guy who helped to end LeBron James’ first run in Cleveland, to playing against LeBron during the Miami years, to being LeBron’s teammate in Los Angeles. Rondo specifically remembers the moments of wanting to play LeBron and the Cavs during the 2010 Playoffs and then beating them, as well as LeBron’s career-altering performance during Game 6 of the 2012 Eastern Conference Finals.

Much more is covered in the episode, as Rondo recalls nearly being traded for Kevin Garnett, the epic 2009 playoff series against the Chicago Bulls, and what separates Boston from other sports cities. He also tells the story of playing on a torn ACL and how he eventually found out it was torn, as well as playing with a dislocated elbow following his dust-up with Dwyane Wade during the 2011 Playoffs.

0:30 – Rondo’s observations of today’s NBA game
5:18 – Boston’s guards and Jrue Holiday being one of his favorite teammates
8:15 – Nearly being traded by Boston and experience of playing for multiple teams
15:33 – Playing on a torn ACL and learning about the injury from a radio broadcast
21:17 – Reliving biggest moments of his Boston career
30:53 – Facing Brad Stevens and the Celtics in 2017 Playoffs as a member of the Bulls
40:45 – Learning about Rondo’s basketball IQ
44:15 – Winning another championship

View From The Rafters is presented by Flexcar.
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