Rajon Rondo Quotes
Basketball player
Playing for the Bulls, playing for big organizations, like Boston, you're going to be judged from Day One. It's part of it. You signed up for it.
I am who I am. I'm unique. I'm my own self.
Talk is cheap, but when you go out there and prove it - you're the first one to show up for practice, and you're the last to leave - that's how you lead by example.
I play the game hard; I play the game with an edge.
I feel like, when I get a certain amount of minutes, and when the coaches allow me to be me on the court, I'm Rondo. There's no 'Playoff Rondo.'
You can consider me stubborn, but I think I'm really intelligent.
I take accountability for my actions.
You don't do charity work for publicity. Well, I know I don't. Everybody's different.
I think I stand up more often than I should on defense. I've got to be solid and continue to get better.
If guys buy into the system, believe in their coach, that goes a long way.
I'm an extension of the coach on the floor.
Hopefully I'll be a GM one day, or even a coach, teaching the game to the young guys.
I've been basically challenged my whole life.
I'm an entertainer.
I believe you learn every day.
What I pride myself on mostly is making the game easier for my teammates.
I let my game speak for itself.
That's part of the NBA. It's a lot of ups and downs.
I play the game the right way.
When the coach can get the trust and the confidence of a team to believe in him, and everyone accepts what they're doing for the team, the good and the great of the team, it usually works out.
I can do the little things, play defense, dive on the floor to get loose balls, things like that.
I try to watch film with teammates and help them as well, so that's just part of the game, part of playing.
I always feel like I can teach.
I don't really read the papers.
Everyone wants to believe Chris Paul is a good guy. They don't know he's a horrible teammate. They don't know how he treats people.
I take pride in being a great teammate.
I try to do what's best for the team.
If given an opportunity, knowing I'll play 36 minutes a night, I can perform at a high level. Spotty or inconsistent minutes, which have been the case in the past, then the numbers fluctuate.
You can get caught up in making and missing shots, but the game is so much more.
I think I can run a team pretty well.
People have been counting me out since Day One.
When everyone touches the ball, it gives you energy and life on defense.
I'm going to compete every possession.
I am who I am. I don't try to be something I'm not.
With the ball in your hands as the point guard, you want to be able to control the game and take care of it.
Getting a tear in my ACL in 2012 puts a lot of things in perspective about being able to play the game.
I don't mind being judged or pressure being put on myself.
I know I'm a winner.
I'm not a dirty player.
I'm not a trash-talker.
When everyone touches the ball, it gives everyone energy, and that translates to the defensive end, where it all starts.
Hard work speaks for itself.
I don't want to be the hardest working guy in the gym.
I try to be two or three steps ahead of my guy, my opponent.
No better way to bond than food.
A lot of people didn't see me play in Sacramento. I think we had one TV game.
That's what I'm a big believer in, giving everyone touches and energy on both ends of the floor.
Whether I start or I'm the guy to come off the bench, I'll do whatever it takes.
I put a lot of work in. I watch film. I study. People may knock it, but I think it's what makes me great.
When we're able to get stops, get the ball off the glass and run, you never know who's going to get the ball. Everyone takes off, runs to their spots, and the ball just finds the open man.
I can't remember one bad time I had in Boston as far as where I got negative feedback from fans, no matter the first year we lost 18 straight or the following year we won a championship.
One-on-one is different than actually going through picks, hitting the floor, playing 5-on-5, getting back in transition, making quick moves without thinking about it.
I just want a ring. Bottom line.
Every night, I go out there, and I try to compete and win.
There is no place on or off the court for language that disrespects anyone's sexual orientation. That is not who I am or what I believe, and I will strive every day to be a better person.
Nothing happens overnight in this game.
My arms are pretty long.
I might be out of the league if I didn't have a guy like K.G. to show me the ropes and a coach like Doc Rivers.
I play for myself, my family, and the fans.
Who doesn't want the ball? Everyone wants the ball; everyone wants to score.
In Boston, the year we won the championship, guys were so much different in age. You don't have the same lives off the court.
I don't try to come in and act like I know it all, and that's why I put the extra work in of watching film, getting an understanding of what you want from personnel, each player.
I want to improve my shooting, my free throw shooting, keeping my turnovers down.
A leader can't pick and choose when he wants to lead.
When I had older guys around me, I kind of leaned on them for advice and went through tough times.
I remember when I was a younger cat, I always thought the veteran guys talked too much.
Only a couple of guys should be talking in practice.
I don't feel like we have to be dirty or anything crazy, but as far as competing, there's no limits.
I try to give as much advice as possible.
Star power is great, but at the end of the night, you need all 15 guys.
All I care about is winning.
When you're off the court, that's when it's time to talk or whatever you want to do. But once it goes up, it's time to compete.
First of all, I'm misunderstood in general. I don't mind because I'm very quiet, and I stay to myself. People are going to say what they want to say.
I want to be a general manager, and I want to be a head coach. Definitely both.
I'm a poet.
Ask any player. You're only as good as your coach allows you to be.
I thought at first I was going to be an NFL quarterback. I played until I was a freshman in high school.
When I'm on the court, I just compete.
There's a lot of talented guys, but there's not a lot of guys that play the game that right way.
You can't let emotions get involved with what the common goal is: to win. At the end of the day, that's what it's all about.
I think that's what we need to do is love one another.
This is the Boston Celtics. This isn't the Phoenix Suns. No disrespect to any other organization, but you don't hang conference titles. Do we hang going to the conference finals?
Every organization, every city is different.
I'm obviously very grateful to play for a sports organization like the Boston Celtics.
I want to see myself in a situation where guys want to grow, guys want to get better.
The point guard is always the leader on the floor, regardless: the extension out there on the floor for the coach.
The only thing that can conquer hate is love.
I came into the league traded. So I'm not the only person that goes through trade rumors each year.
A lot of times, I'll be shooting and think, 'Maybe I should pass.'
I'm a little OCD.
Every team I've played on has players-only meetings, players staff meetings, so this is part of the process.
I don't just want to make the playoffs or get to the first or second round. When I compete or make it to the playoffs, I expect to win every time.
I eat at certain times. I got to leave the house at certain times. I shower at certain times before the game.
I'm pretty smart.
It's an emotional game.
A trade is a trade, but it's different as far as summertime versus in the season.
The offseason is completely different. You're not at work. You're working out, but you're not at work.
My life is pretty calculated.