Rajon Rondo has an attention-grabbing legacy with the Boston Celtics.
Although he gained a championship with the staff as a key participant in 2008 and made all 4 of his All-Star appearances carrying a Boston uniform, he additionally gained a championship with the Celtics’ arch-rival, Los Angeles Lakers, in 2020.
As if that did not make issues controversial sufficient, Rondo, who formally retires from the NBA in 2024, publicly said that the Lakers’ 2020 title meant extra to him than the one title he gained with Boston in 2008.
“It meant extra from a sentimental standpoint,” Rondo stated throughout an appearance in “Run It Back” on Wednesday. “It’s one thing I’ll bear in mind extra with my kids. If you’ve got kids you’ll perceive.
“When I used to be with the Celtics, I believe that is my new regular,” Rondo continued. “I believed we had loads of time and that one staff may deal with every part one after one other and, in a approach, I took it with no consideration once I was so younger, however now I perceive. It took 12 years after having one and I appreciated it 10 instances extra… They are totally different values, however clearly the Celtics one has introduced me to the place I’m in my profession. It will all the time be the primary.”
Celtics legend Paul Pierce, who gained Finals MVP in 2008, had the chance to listen to Rondo’s commentary throughout Thursday’s episode of “Speak” on FS1 and, maybe to the shock of the Boston trustworthy , Pierce understood his former teammate’s sentiment.
“That’s proper,” Pierce stated. “This is what occurs if you win your second title. When you win your second title, like Rajon Rondo, it catapults you into one other class along with your place in NBA historical past and perhaps now he is usually a Hall of Famer .”
Pierce was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2021 as a first-ballot inductee.
“That’s proper, Doe,” Pierce stated. “I’m joyful for you, my boy.”
The Celtics broke ties with the Lakers final season for profitable probably the most titles by a franchise in NBA historical past (18).
The Lakers and Celtics will renew their rivalry Thursday once they conflict for the primary time this season. Tip-off is at 10pm ET.
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