Getty Rajon Rondo of the Los Angeles Lakers.
Rajon Rondo has found himself in a bit of hot water over an off-court controversy, which took another turn after video was released showing the Atlanta Hawks guard and his girlfriend in a confrontation with a woman in a parking garage.
Rondo — who is fresh off winning an NBA title with the Los Angeles Lakers — was seen apparently nudging the woman and then standing by his girlfriend as she punched her in the face multiple times. The victim did not fight back in the video and was identified by TMZ as Toktam Jorshari. She is suing Rondo and his girlfriend for $1 million as a result of the incident.
Rondo was reportedly dating Latoia Fitzgerald after winning the NBA title, but it’s uncertain who the woman in the video is. She hasn’t been identified by any reliable outlets reporting the story.
Altercation Was Result of Parking Dispute
The argument was allegedly over parking, with Rondo’s representation saying that Jorshari was not wearing a mask and parked too close to his Rolls Royce SUV.
“The plaintiff chose to park her car two inches from Mr. Rondo’s door, and the plaintiff was not in an assigned parking spot. The plaintiff refused to wear a mask during a short 30 second encounter, and also refused to move her car,” lawyer Mark Baute told TMZ. “The plaintiff and Mr. Rondo’s girlfriend had an unpleasant encounter that lasted roughly 10 seconds, and Mr. Rondo tried to prevent them from any further interaction, which was awkward due to (a) his thumb being broken, and (b) the plaintiff not wearing a mask.”
Baute has called the case meritless and said they plan to fight it rather than settling. Eddie Tehrani and Arnold Gross, the representation for Jorshari, have quite the opposite story.
“In the NBA, unnecessary and excessive contact is considered a Flagrant 2 foul, which can result in a fine, ejection and possible suspension of a player. Outside the NBA such conduct is considered an assault and battery. No man should ever put their hands on a woman, especially an NBA basketball player with superior height, and strength. The video speaks for itself.
“The defendants have no desire to resolve this matter and we will be looking forward to trying this case and obtaining a favorable verdict by a jury of her peers.”
Rajon Rondo Out For Hawks Opener
GettyLos Angeles Lakers guard Rajon Rondo.
Rondo left the Lakers this offseason, signing a two-year, $15 million deal with the Hawks. Rondo was coming of a strong postseason run where he averaged 24.7 minutes in the postseason, rebounding from a fractured thumb he suffered during a practice in the bubble.
He put up 8.9 points, 6.6 assists and 4.3 rebounds in the playoffs. His leadership and ability to make plays with the second unit helped the Lakers turn the tide in a handful of games.
However, Rondo will have to wait a bit to make his debut. The veteran guard reportedly attended a funeral and will have to clear the league’s COVID-19 protocols before being able to join the team. Rondo is listed as out for the Hawks opener on Wednesday against the Chicago Bulls.
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