Getty Images Rajon Rondo in Game 6 of the 2020 NBA Finals
When Los Angeles Lakers point guard Rajon Rondo captured his second championship this year, it raised an interesting debate amongst NBA circles:
Does he belong in the Basketball Hall-of-Fame?
Rondo, a four-time All-Star with an esteemed defensive pedigree that includes four NBA All-Defensive First Team (2010, 2011), Second Team (2009, 2012) honors, makes a strong case for himself when you examine his 14-year career. You also can’t forget when he led the league in assists in back-to-back seasons (2012, 2013) and did it a final time in 2016.
Rondo’s has averaged 10.2 points, 8.3 assists, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.7 steals throughout his career.
Cedric Maxwell: ‘If He Wins Another Championship, I think Rondo Will Be In The Hall-of-Fame’
Celtics’ 1981 NBA Finals MVP legend, radio color commentator Cedric Maxwell weighed in on the conversation on CLNS Media’s “The Garden Report” earlier this week, when he explained why, in his opinion; Rondo, despite playing for six different teams throughout his career, still needs to achieve one more accomplishment in order to make it to Springfield, MA.
“If he wins another championship, I think Rondo will be in the Hall-of-Fame,” Maxwell said. “You talk about (a) journeyman and going back and forth, you start out like a supernova when you think about Rondo. And then (he) kind of flames out, and then you go to a different team, and go back to winning a championship. Is that a testament of fortitude when you think about it that way? You think about Chauncey Billups, Chauncey Billups to me is a Hall-Of-Famer.
“How many different teams before he finally latched on to a team and became Mr. Big Shot with Detroit?” There’s a lot of nitpicking, which goes on, but you can’t take away the fact that he’s a two-time champion, you can’t take away the fact that he’s been an All-Star, so, you also had to add in the fact that there’s a lot of things in his career that’s been very disruptive.”
Cedric Maxwell On Rondo: ‘Dude, You’re Full Of Sh**,’ That’s What I Would Say To Him Over And Over’
Maxwell fears Rondo’s stale reputation with the media could, in the end, work against him, which is why the Celtics legend says he’s noticed a change in the way Rajon engages with reporters, nowadays.
“You think about it, even with writers, Rondo, for the longest time, has been one of the most combative interviews that you think about and if the writers have anything to do with it, are they going to be the ones that put him in? Now, all of a sudden, Rondo has embraced the writers,” Maxwell laughed. “I’ve met Rondo and I’ve said this many times, Rondo is the dumbest smart guy that I’ve ever been around because he knows how to manipulate things and he’s just that kind of person.
“Personally, as a friend, I love him but I would be the first one to walk up to him and I would say ‘Dude, you’re full of sh**,’ that’s what I would say to him over and over again and he would just bust my hump and we’d go back (and forth).”
All reputation aside, Rondo will still have plenty of opportunities to add to his illustrious resume. He’s reportedly expected to test free agency and is expected to be highly sought-after.