Wednesday, October 10th, 2012 at 2:00 pm  |  126 responses

Rajon Rondo Explains Why He Thinks He’s the NBA’s Best Point Guard


Rajon Rondo has never lacked confidence in his own abilities. Not only does he believe he’s the NBA’s top floor general today, Rondo also aims to go down as the greatest point guard in Boston Celtics history. Rajon tells Boston Common Magazine why he should be considered the best at his position in the game (via WEEI): “It’s always the whole package,’ he says. ‘Some fans look at a point guard and say he had 26 points, seven assists, and eight rebounds, and they’ll say he had a great game. But there is a lot of talent in the NBA, and eventually that talent catches up with you. The mental game is where it’s at. I would say the game is 80 percent mental and 20 percent physical, for me at least. What separates great players from good ones is performing consistently. I can dominate the game in any number of ways, not just with the numbers.’ [...] People can judge point guards by assessing passing, scoring, defense, and a slew of other things, but Rondo takes it a little further. ‘My definition of what a good point guard is might be different from what some others might think,’ he says. ‘I’ll give you an example: If [head coach] Doc Rivers gets thrown out, I can run the team for the rest of the game. I know what plays to call, what sets to call, or when to call time outs. It’s more than keeping track of the score. There is so much more going on that you take for granted on any given night, and there are only so many guys who can run a team when you don’t have a coach. In that category I think I am the best at what I do.’”

  • Add a Comment
  • Share
  • RSS

Tags: ,

  • Jerome

    How many times did Doc get tossed from a game with Rondo on the floor? Not saying I disagree or am calling Rage a liar, but givwe us on example here.

  • CB4

    A point guard is a player that is able to handle the ball well under pressure, distribute the ball as effectively as possible and defend well. I dislike the way point guards are now ranked judged on their individual scoring ability. Scoring point guards are more common now than in the NBA of old. There’s no doubt that Rajon Rondo is the best pure point guard in the NBA. Granted, he cannot score like Derrick Rose or Russell Westbrook, but the way he distributes the ball is like no other player in the NBA right now.

  • JR

    Even if we used Rondo’s definition of what makes a point guard great, Chris Paul would still be the best. If I’m a coach and I get ejected, I pick Paul to assume my roll over Rondo all day.

  • JR

    I should add: you can’t call yourself the best point guard in the NBA with that broke ass jumper of yours.

  • Karl

    Sorry but you can’t be the best PG in the NBA when your man sags off you when you’re at the 3 point line. I don’t care how well refined other aspects of your game are but if the defense doesn’t respect your jumper, your man can help off of you. Additionally, below 60% at the line for a guard is ridiculously bad..
    Work on these things and you’ll be the best PG

  • pposse

    he speaks the truth, he can say this now cause d rose is shelved for the time being. What have i been telling you fellow slam posters? How the game is waaay more mental then physical, and now an elite pg speaks the same thing!

  • Jerome
  • Datkid

    Chris Paul? no?

  • Caboose

    What does Rondo do better than Chris Paul? Anything?

  • T-Money

    i see how you carefully failed to mention chris paul. carry on.

  • ByAnyMeansNecessary

    Nothing. Paul has the same skills he has and is a better shooter.

  • pposse

    NO!

  • ByAnyMeansNecessary

    Even if D-Rose were healthy, Chris Paul qualifies for everything Rondo said and has a much better jumpshot.

  • pposse

    he rebounds better, passes better, and is bigger than cp, ill take him any day over cp.

  • ByAnyMeansNecessary

    So many different ideas of what a true PG is. So many productive PGs in the league. What exactly is a pure PG? D-Rose’s 25 and 7 is just as productive as Rondo’s 12 and 12 if you ask me. It all depends on what a team needs. There’s only one guy in my opinion that would fit on any and every team in basketball regardless of what they need and that’s Chris Paul. I still have Deron Williams behind him. Rondo wouldn’t do well having to fill D-Rose’s shoes in Chicago and D-Rose wouldn’t be able to run the Celtics like Rondo does. CP3 could do both and Deron also could but not as well as Chris.

  • Redd

    If we go by pg match ups then D Rose is the best pg. He’s won all of his. Now people usually don’t do that though.

  • renekt

    1. cp3 2. Steve nash 3. Rondo

  • beni

    veyr good PG. Far from being at the same level than Chris P.

    Does not seem to recognize that he is becoming more and more unbearable.
    Should stop talking.

  • KipSmithers

    What gets me most about Rondo is that he’s one of the few people in the NBA who didn’t come in as a star. So many people come in as stars and stay stars. He’s just improved more and more each year to the point where people have realized that he’s pretty damn good.
    The thing that scares me most about him is not his jumper issues, bit imagine just how good he could be if he were a few inches taller.

  • JR

    He’s better at butting heads with his team mates.

  • K_HOLIDAY

    “Yall hear this sh*t?? Boy done lost his mind!” – CP3 talking to Russell Westbrook, Steve Nash, Derrick Rose, and Deron Williams at All Star Weekend

  • ALD

    i disagree. the fact that rondo still drives to the basket when ppl sag off shows how good he is… A JUMPSHOT is needed but rondo has all the skills.

  • spit hot fiyah

    he is really disrespecting chalmers here

  • keyon dooling

    delusional Laker fans… getting as bad as delusional Knick fans. This can’t be life

  • KD

    Rondo’s an idiot.

  • KD

    Actually, Rondo’s an insecure idiot. You don’t here CP3 or D-Will talking about they are the best. Just plain stupid!

  • ByAnyMeansNecessary

    That’s true.

  • ByAnyMeansNecessary

    Chris Paul.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Mike-Gilbert/100001749589586 Mike Gilbert

    nah you just hear D-Will covering his ass about the Dallas situation…

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Mike-Gilbert/100001749589586 Mike Gilbert

    nah you just hear D-Will covering his ass about the Dallas situation…

  • bike

    Rondo/Paul = 0.87

  • http://twitter.com/Jzakoni Verified Account

    rajon, you the truth homie

  • Caboose

    Ok, so the fact that Paul has higher career RPG and APG means that Rondo is a better rebounder and passer? Do you even think when you say things?

  • Caboose

    And just overall scorer.

  • Jerome

    DRose, right now, is one of the worst pg’s then. He aint matching up with nobody. All that would’ve, couldv’e should’ve chatter can walk.

  • aj2nice

    Rondo is hands down the best defending pg, best passer (accurate with either hand, Nash also). he rebounds n orchastrates the offense flawlessly. running the offense is not just abt getting assists…n those who doubt his ability to score name another pg who’s dropping 40+ pts along with a triple dbl against the Heat. in the EAST CONF FINALS not a regular season game in Nov

  • Dutch Rich

    Finger roll…that’s it.

  • LakeShow

    Christopher Emmanuel Paul

  • rainman

    Chris Paul

  • rainman

    Derrick Rose isnt better than Chris Paul. regardless of one on one match ups between the two that come only once or twice a season because they’re not in the same conference.

  • biggieman

    Even though Westbrook is my boy, I gotta say CP3 and Rondo are the leagues 2 best point guards.

  • biggieman

    1. Chris Paul 2. Rajon Rondo 3. Deron Williams 4. Russell Westbrook 5. Derrick Rose

  • http://www.slamonline.com/ Nick Tha Quick

    I keep preaching it, Spit. Dudes be disrespecting The Clutch.

  • J-Train

    All true… Now just waiting for Rondo (and KG) to congratulate the Heat on winning that 7-game series rather than walking off the court like whining little bitches.

  • Showtime

    Chris paul of this fall

  • ByAnyMeansNecessary

    CP3 can do more at the position but you can’t just dismiss the fact that Rose has outplayed every PG he’s faced the last two seasons.

  • ByAnyMeansNecessary

    Common sense should tell you that we’re talking about when everyone is healthy and playing.

  • bike

    Better bunnies.

  • Lorne

    On what planet, pposse?

  • charliewinning

    If CP3 and Rose switch teams, who do you think will thrive the most? I KNOW CP can have similar if not more success with the Bulls squad Rose has played with. What I doubt is Rose making the playoffs in the West with the kinds of teams Paul has played with prior to the Clippers.

Advertisement