FILE–Los Angeles Lakers guard Rajon Rondo (9) looks on during warmups before game three of the 2020 NBA Finals against the Miami Heat at AdventHealth Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Rajon Rondo officially announced his retirement from the NBA after 16 seasons.
During an appearance on the “All the Smoke” podcast, Rondo was quick with a response when asked by host Matt Barnes if the NBA has seen the last of him.
“Absolutely,” the 38-year-old point guard said. “Yeah, I’m done. I can’t. I’d rather spend time with my kids.”
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A four-time All-Star and two-time NBA champion, Rondo last played in the 2021-22 season with the Los Angeles Lakers and Cleveland Cavaliers.
“What a time, it was definitely something that I never took for granted when I was in the game,” Rondo said.
“I loved every minute of it, and I appreciate the brotherhood that I was able to share and bond and grow with over the years. I’ve learned so much in this game and it’s made me the man who I am today. … I tell people all the time, this wasn’t a dream of mine, it was a goal. I was able to lock in, stay disciplined, I didn’t party a lot in college. But it was worth the sacrifice of me getting to where I wanted to be in life.”
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Rondo led the NBA in steals per game in 2009-10 and in assists per game in 2011-12, 2012-13 and 2015-16. He made the league’s All-Defensive Team four times and won NBA titles with the 2007-08 Boston Celtics and the 2019-20 Lakers.
He averaged 9.8 points, 7.9 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 1.6 steals in 957 NBA games (733 starts) with the Celtics (2006-15), Dallas Mavericks (2015), Sacramento Kings (2015-16), Chicago Bulls (2016-17), New Orleans Pelicans (2017-18), Lakers (2018-20, 2021-22), Atlanta Hawks (2020-21), Los Angeles Clippers (2020-21) and Cavaliers (2021-22). –Field Level Media