A big hand has always been a big advantage in basketball; it gives the player an advantage in handling the ball as well as in passing and shooting. There are basketball legends like Michael Jordan and Julius Erving who have benefited from having big hands, but there are also rising stars who are equipped with such big hands. Among them is Rajon Rondo, a professional NBA star who plays the role of point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA.
Rajon was the first point guard drafted by the Phoenix Suns in the 2006 NBA draft. Since then, he has played for other NBA teams, including the Boston Celtics, the Dallas Mavericks, the Sacramento Kings, and the Chicago Bulls, to name a few. Learn more about Rondo below
Rajon Rondo Bio
Rajon Pierre Rondo was born on February 22, 1986, in Louisville, Kentucky in the United States. He was born the son of black American parents William Rondo and his wife Amber Rondo. He grew up with his three siblings – Dymon, William, and Anton. Rondo had a very difficult childhood; his father left home when he was just seven years old and his mother had to work several jobs to make ends meet. He was interested in soccer but was put off by his mother, who convinced him to concentrate more on basketball instead.
During his basketball career at Louisville Eastern High School, Rondo was so good at his game that he averaged 10.0 rebounds, 7.5 assists, and 27.9 points per game. He was honored with the “7th Region Player of the Year” award and at the end of his junior year was appointed to the All-State Team. He then transferred to Oak Hill Academy, Virginia to complete his senior year. There at Oak Hill Rondo averaged 3.0 rebounds, 12.0 assists, and 21.0 points per game. After completing his high school career, Rondo became the best assist player of all time with a total of 494 assists in Oak Hill in 2004. He was also named to the McDonald’s All-American Team and the All-American Second Team of Parade Magazine.
After graduating, Rondo enrolled at the University of Kentucky where he continued his college career. In his freshman year, the star led Kentucky in theft, setting a single-season record of 87 thefts. In general, this season he averaged 2.6 thefts, 3.5 assists, 2.9 rebounds, and 8.1 points per game. The following year Rondo averaged 6.1 rebounds, 4.9 assists, and 11.2 points per game in the 2005/06 season. After his impressive performance, the youngster was also called up for the US U21 team, which participated in the FIBA World Championships in 2005.
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NBA Career
At the end of his sophomore year, Rajon declared Rondo for the 2006 NBA draft, while foregoing the remaining two seasons of his college career. He was selected by the Phoenix Suns in the first round of the draft. On draft night, he was immediately traded to the Boston Celtics alongside Brian Grant in exchange for selection in the first round of the 2007 draft, as well as cash. He signed his rookie contract with the Celtics on July 4, 2005.
Rajon Rondo played eight and a half seasons for the Celtics from 2006 to 2014. He made his first professional appearance with the Celtics on November 1, 2006, and led the Celtics to the NBA Championship title in 2008 with Kevin Garnett. From 2010 to 2013 he was named NBA All-Star four times. In 2010 and 2011 he was twice named NBA All-Defensive Team. Rondo also led the NBA in the Assists for two seasons (2012 and 2013). In 2012 he received the award for the third All-NBA team.
After the end of his career with the Celtics in 2014, Rajon Rondo moved to the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for Brandan Wright, Jameer Helson, and Jae Crowder alongside Dwight Powell. He made his first appearance for the Mavericks on December 20, 2014, scoring six points from 11 shots in the win over the San Antonio Spurs. After the 2014/15 season, he left the Mavericks and signed a one-year contract with the Sacramento Kings worth $10 million. At the end of the season, he averaged 11.7 assists and 11.9 points per game.
In July 2016, Rondo joined the Chicago Bulls while signing a two-year contract worth $28 million. With an average of 6.7 assists and 7.8 points per game in the 2016/17 season, he had a rather unspectacular season with the Bulls. After his one-year engagement with the Bulls, Rondo was dismissed on June 30, 2017. He then signed a one-year contract with the New Orleans Pelicans worth $3.3 million. In the 2017/18 season, Rondo averaged 8.2 assists and 8.3 points per game. In July 2018 he was taken over by the Los Angeles Lakers when he signed a one-year contract worth $9 million with the Lakers.
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Rajon Rondo’s Wife and Kids
While Rajon Rondo has been successful in his career as a basketball player, he also has an amazing wife and children. He is married to Ashley Bachelor and together they have two children – a daughter named Ryelle and a son Rajon Rondo Jr. Rondo and Ashley began their relationship while studying at the University of Kentucky. In 2008, they welcomed their first blissful baby Ryelle Rondo and later a son, Rajon Jr. The amazing couple has enjoyed a blissful relationship for over a decade, but it is not clear if they made it to the altar. They currently live in Lincoln Massachusetts.
His Height, Weight, and Body Measurements
The amazing NBA star has been wonderful throughout his professional basketball career; all thanks to his exceptional ball skills, great physique, and powerful hand size. He has a hand length of 9.5 centimeters and a hand length of 10 centimeters. Rondo is not the biggest on the court, but he has an average height of 6 feet 1 inch and a bodyweight of 79 kg. He also has black hair and brown eyes.