May 16 2009
Eye on Rajon Rondo

Rajon Pierre Rondo (born February 22, 1986 in Louisville, Kentucky) is an American professional basketball player with the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association. He played for two years at the University of Kentucky before declaring for the 2006 NBA Draft. He was selected with the 21st overall pick by the Phoenix Suns, and then traded to Boston, where he made his NBA debut. Currently, Rondo is starting at point guard for the Celtics, alongside All-Stars Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce.
Following the 2005-06 NCAA season, Rondo announced he would forgo his final two seasons at Kentucky, hire an agent, and enter the NBA draft. Rondo was drafted 21st overall by the Phoenix Suns in the 2006 NBA Draft. Phoenix then traded him to the Boston Celtics along with Brian Grant for the Cleveland Cavaliers' first-round draft pick in the 2007 NBA Draft and cash considerations. In another draft-day deal, the Celtics acquired Sebastian Telfair from the Portland Trail Blazers, finally uniting the backcourt Pitino had envisioned at Louisville. He was signed by the Boston Celtics on July 4, 2006.
During his rookie season, Rondo would split time with Sebastian Telfair and Delonte West. Rondo played 23 minutes per game and averaged 6.4 points, 3.8 assists, 1.6 steals, and 3.7 rebounds per game in 78 games as a rookie. Rondo started 25 games over his rookie year. He finished the season in the top ten for steals with a total of 128 steals. On

May 8, 2007, Rondo was honored with a NBA All-Rookie Second Team selection.
After Telfair and West were traded in the offseason, Rondo became the starting point guard. Starting in every game, Rondo averaged 10.6 points, 4.2 rebounds and 5.1 assists. During the 2008 NBA All-Star Weekend, Rondo was selected to play in the T-Mobile Rookie Challenge and Youth Jam. On February 6, 2008, Rondo scored a career high 24 points in a win over the Los Angeles Clippers. Two weeks later, on February 29, 2008 he had a career high 16 assists against the Charlotte Bobcats. Rondo played in 77 games during the 2007-08 NBA season. On April 20, 2008 Rondo made his playoff debut finishing with 15 points, 9 assists and 2 steals, helping the Celtics to a convincing 104-81 victory over the Atlanta Hawks. Rondo had 16 assists in a victory against the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 2 of the NBA Finals. In game 6 of the 2008 NBA Finals on June 17, 2008, Rondo had 6 steals, 8 assists, 7 rebounds and 21 points against the Los Angeles Lakers helping them to a victory that day.

In the 2008–09 season, Rondo played and started in 80 games during the season. He averaged 11.9 ppg, 8.2 apg, 5.2 rpg and 1.9 spg. On December 3, 2008, Rondo recorded his first career triple-double against the Indiana Pacers with 16 points, 13 rebounds and 17 assists. The 17 assists also became Rondo's career-high in assists. In a game against the Dallas Mavericks on February 12, 2009, Rondo pulled down a career-high 15 rebounds with 19 points and 14 assists, achieving his second career triple-double. He then had a career-high of 32 points to go with 10 assists on his 23rd birthday against the Phoenix Suns. Rondo and Ray Allen both scored 30+ points in that same game since Charlie Scott, 31; and Jo Jo White, 33 did it on January 2, 1977 at Golden State for the Boston Celtics.

In the first game of the 2009 NBA Playoffs against the Chicago Bulls, Rondo led the Celtics with a playoff-career-high 29 points to go along with 9 rebounds and 7 assists. In game four against the Bulls, Rondo had his second triple-double of the series with 25 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists. Rondo became the first Celtics player with two triple-doubles in the same series since Larry Bird in 1986 and the first player with multiple triple-doubles in the same playoff series since Jason Kidd had three triple-doubles for the New Jersey Nets in the 2002 Eastern Conference finals. In the second game of the next round against the Orlando Magic, Rondo had his third triple-double of this postseason to tie Larry Bird's franchise record. Rondo became the first to do that since Jason Kidd had four.