Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff
As we pointed out in today’s paper, Boston Celtics second-year point guard Rajon Rondo has held his own through the All-Star break.
He will also be playing on the “Sophomore” team in tonight’s Rookie Challenge in New Orleans as part of All-Star weekend.
Rondo has cited the confidence the organization has had in him as part of the reason he hasn’t felt any extra pressure on him this season, his first year as the starting point guard. Specifically, he mentioned director of basketball operations/general manager Danny Ainge and head coach Doc Rivers.
Reportedly, Ainge even drew the line at not including Rondo in the Kevin Garnett trade talks this past summer.
Here are just a few of the statements Ainge and Rivers made to The Sun since acquiring Rondo on draft night in June of 2006.
During the 2006-07 preseason Ainge said to The Sun about deciding between Rondo and Marcus Williams: "We just thought that Rajon was a better athlete and Marcus was a better passer, but we thought that Rajon was a terrific passer also and a little younger and probably had a better upside."
On scouting Rondo in College: "I thought at Kentucky I could see what he could do. I could see his vision, I could see defense. I could see things about him that I thought he had a chance to be a special player, but he just hadn't put it all together."
Rivers spoke to The Sun last June about the growth of Rondo’s game in comparison to San Antonio Spurs point guard Tony Parker’s improvement.
Rivers on the comparison: "I want Rondo 's game to evolve for Rondo. I don't ever like to put Tony Parker or Michael Jordan tags. You know what I mean? He's going to be his own type of player. It will have some similarities to Tony, no doubt about it, because they both have speed. It's so easy to just look at the speed and say they fit, but there are some similarities."
Note: In 2004-05, Parker hit just 27.6 percent of his three-point shots (his career 3-point shooting percentage during the regular season is 31.8 percent).
Last season Rondo, who played in 78 games, shot 41.8 percent from the field, but was just 6 of 29 (20.7 percent) from downtown. He shot 28.3 percent from behind the arch (49.3 percent overall) in two seasons at the University of Kentucky.
Rivers on Parker becoming more dangerous: "The thing that's changed (Parker) is that shot, not that he doesn't shoot. He does shoot it. Teams were going under and they couldn't do it anymore. What people don't realize is the reason he's getting to the basket more is because he can shoot. The reason he struggled early is because he couldn't shoot.
"The fact that he's added the shot has made them defend him differently and that's allowed him to get to the basket more, which is what he wants to do to begin with. It will be the same for Rajon in that way."
On becoming a better shooter: “It takes time. Hell, what is this Tony's fifth year? Sixth year? People think -- and it's a wrong thought -- that you can go and work and shoot a million shots a day and then the following season your shot is fine. That doesn't happen. It improves. And I'd be very surprised if Rajon didn't come back an improved shooter."
In years 5 and 6, Rondo will be a better player than Parker because he's a more disruptive force. I like Parker a lot, but as Tim Duncan ages and his game deteriorates, Parker and Ginobli will be exposed a bit.