Former Boston Celtics star Rajon Rondo appeared at his former team’s practice facility on October 20. While talking with reporters, Rondo discussed various things, including new Celtics point guard Jrue Holiday. Rondo, who played with Holiday on the New Orleans Pelicans, gushed about his former teammate.
“I love the Jrue Holiday pick-up,” Rondo told reporters, per CLNS Media Boston Sports Network’s YouTube Channel. “He’s one of my favorite teammates I’ve ever played with all-time and I’m excited for you guys to see what he can bring night in, night out.”
Rondo then explained further why he’s excited for his former teammate to play for the Celtics.
“Just his mentality, his mindset, his professional approach to the game, and just what he brings out there on the court. He does a lot of intangibles, he’s a very unselfish guy, and he’s fun to be around. But he’s a winner. He’s a competitor,” Rondo said.
Rondo played with Jrue Holiday for one season when they shared the floor together with the New Orleans Pelicans during the 2017-18 season. He also played against Holiday in the 2012 Eastern Conference Semifinals when Holiday was with the Philadelphia 76ers. Rondo clearly knows Holiday, having played both with him and against him with higher stakes
Jrue Holiday Contacted Isaiah Thomas About Number
Upon being traded to the Celtics, Holiday chose to wear the number four, but he wanted Isaiah Thomas’ blessing before he did.
“Jrue Holiday said he chose No. 4 because of he and his three siblings (4) and because of (Thomas). Said he reached out to Isaiah before choosing the number,” Washburn reported via his X account on October 19.
Jrue Holiday said he chose No. 4 because of he and his three siblings (4) and because of @isaiahthomas. Said he reached out to Isaiah before choosing
the number. #Celtics
After Holiday confirmed this, Thomas himself shouted out Jrue and the rest of his family for their close friendship while wishing him the best of luck with the Celtics.
“Been super close with the holiday family since 2008! That’s my dawg. Go kill in that s*** familyyyyy lol,” Thomas wrote via his X account.
Holiday didn’t have to do that since Thomas’ number wasn’t retired. Still, Holiday clearly felt obligated to both because of his friendship with the ex-Celtics star and possibly because of Thomas’s legacy in the two and half years he played in Boston.
Kristaps Porzingis Praises Jrue Holiday’s Fit in Boston
After the Celtics beat the New York Knicks on October 17, Porzingis praised Holiday for their chemistry together.
“Yeah, honestly, since he got here, he’s been looking for me in practices and games, and we’ve been all kind of putting in our minds that we want to play for each other. We wanna enjoy each other’s success, and Jrue has been phenomenal from the moment that he got here,” Porzingis said during his postgame press conference.
Porzingis gave Holiday credit for how quickly he’s been able to fit with the team and how much he has improved the Celtics.
“Just thinking about his situation getting traded from one of the biggest rivals to the rival team, it’s crazy. He was able to jump in with us and just be a great teammate from the first moment he got there and just be the same dog that he is on defense and then making the game easy for me and for us offensively also. He’s been nothing but awesome with us.”
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Ex-Celtics Champion Rajon Rondo Gets Candid on Jrue Holiday