When Rajon Rondo finally went to Dallas after multiple years of trade rumours I thought that he’ll be just like he was during Boston’s championship era. But oh wow was I wrong. He rubbed people the wrong way from day 1. Clashing with head coach Rick Carlisle all the time. And what’s funny is that Carlisle made Jason Kidd work, how dysfunctional was Rondo?!
Anyway that stint was dead as soon as it began, fortunately for Rondo, he found a home in Sacramento and is playing very well. He thanks the terrible stay in Dallas for his renewed energy.
“I think it made me hungrier,” Rondo told ESPN.com on Monday after scoring 21 points and dishing out five assists during Monday’s 112-98 win over the Mavericks, the first time he faced Dallas since his departure. “I never started doubting myself. It made me work a little bit harder. I think I worked the hardest I ever worked in the NBA this summer.
“I’m a competitor. I never doubted myself. All these people have counted me out since I got in the league, so it never made me any difference. I kept myself around positive people, got a great support system and just kept at it.”
“Every relationship doesn’t work,” Rondo said. “It just didn’t work. No excuses. No pointing the finger at anybody. It made me stronger, made me appreciate just playing the game, especially playing at a high level. I never doubted myself. It just didn’t work.“
Little shade thrown there? Not much, he did say he wasn’t pointing any fingers. And every relationship doesn’t work? Not sure if that’s a typo, if it isn’t that’s kind of depressing having that thought process.
