After an illustrious 16-year NBA career, 2x NBA champion Rajon Rondo finally decided to hang his boots. The 4x All-Star last played for the Cleveland Cavaliers on April 11, 2022, during the 2021-22 season and had been inactive for the last two seasons. The day he announced retirement, his former Eastern Conference rival and teammate Dwight Howard congratulated the pass-first athlete. Like many current and former athletes, Howard took to his Instagram and celebrated Rondo’s career.
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He posted multiple pictures of Howard as a teammate and an opponent. He also posted a video of the two athletes vibing and making electric plays in lob situations. Both as a rival and a teammate, the 4x DPOY knows what a mesmerizing talent Rondo was and how he deserves an induction into the Naismith Hall of Fame.
The Center wrote a heartfelt note and captioned his post,
“One of the greatest point guards the game of basketball has seen 16 years in the NBA! Nobody will understand how hard it is to achieve the things you’ve achieved! Future HOF for sure Enjoy your family bro @rajonrondo congrats on a amazing career”.
The two former NBA All-Stars got close during their time with the Los Angeles Lakers. They provided terrific support around LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Their ability to pinch out high-percentage shots helped the team sustain a great offensive rhythm. Meanwhile, as defenders, both players were tough as nails. However, there was a time when the two former elite players were going at it repeatedly. They played against each other in 40 games, per Land of Basketball. 15 of these games came in the playoffs.
Dwight Howard and Rajon Rondo faced each other at various times
The most memorable duels came in 2009 and 2010, when Howard was with Magic and Rondo was with the Celtics. In the 2009 Eastern Conference Semi-Finals, the Magic defeated the Celts in seven games as both players put up amazing numbers. Although he lost the series, the pass-first PG created buzz by dunking around the perennial DPOY candidate in Game 2.
Later, Rondo and Co. got their revenge in 2010 when they won seven games during the Eastern Conference Finals. The two also met in the 2015 Western Conference First Round. However, the Mavs’ guard Rondo got injured as Howard and his Rockets got the better of them.
Therefore, for many fans, the most memorable one came in the late 2000s when they were battling it hard in the East. In 957 regular seasons, the 38-year-old tallied 9.8 points, 7.9 assists, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.6 steals per game, per Statmuse. Rajon Rondo earned prominence largely due to his electric playoff performances.
His ability to elevate the game in the postseason window earned him the “Playoffs Rondo” moniker. In the postseason, his averages go up to 12.5 points, 8.5 assists, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.7 steals per game across 134 games, per Statmuse. There are a lot of NBA fans who will miss the genius of Rondo in the league.
