Rajon Rondo Claims His Toughest NBA Stint Was With the Dallas Mavericks
Recent sources reported that former NBA star Rajon Rondo claimed his toughest stint in the league was with the Dallas Mavericks. Here’s why.
Rajon Rondo’s Toughest NBA Stint Was With Dallas
Rondo is one of the best point guards in NBA history. However, Rondo became a journeyman after a successful nine-year tenure with the Boston Celtics.
He played for the Dallas Mavericks, Sacramento Kings, Chicago Bulls, New Orleans Pelicans, Los Angeles Lakers, Atlanta Hawks, Los Angeles Clippers, and Cleveland Cavaliers after surging in popularity in Boston. His toughest stint was with the Mavericks.
His stint with the Mavericks was just 46 games before he signed a one-year, $10 million contract with the Kings. In a 2016 interview with ESPN, he said, “No doubt about it. I had a tough three, four months in Dallas. It hurt, but it helped as well. You go through what you go through. You handle adversity, and I think it made me hungrier. I never [started] doubting myself. It made me work a little bit harder. I think I worked the hardest I’ve ever worked in the NBA this summer.
“I’m a competitor. I never doubt myself. Always people have counted me out since I got in the league. It never made me any difference.”
Rondo’s NBA Career
Despite having a tough stint in Dallas, Rondo had “nothing but love” for the Mavericks. He didn’t openly hate on the organization and the team’s then-majority Owner, Mark Cuban.
Rondo’s prime ended quickly, but he had a solid season with the Kings. He averaged 11.9 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 11.7 assists per game. He led the league in assists and posted a career-high in rebounding.
He played an important role in helping the Lakers win the 2020 NBA Championship, thanks to his 105 assists during the 2020 NBA Playoffs. That is the most by a bench player in a single postseason since 1971, surpassing Manu Ginobili’s 95 assists in 2014.
Final Thoughts
Rondo’s NBA career may not have ended as a consistent star all 16 years, but he may not have gotten a chance to play in Los Angeles if he had stayed in Dallas for more than a year.
