Once upon the time, Rajon Rondo was one of the best point guards in the NBA … or at the very least one of the most uniquely talented. Sure, he was the youngster that seemed to be a thorn in the side for ornery veterans Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen during the Boston Celtics renaissance, but he also was a force to be reckoned with.
Whether it was Rondo's tenacious defense, absurd dime-dropping, electrifying dalliances on the fast break or entertaining opening tip dribbles, Rajon Rondo was the NBA's must-watch moody star.
But Rondo has always had that one weakness, a weakness that in today's NBA can no longer be ignored: the man can't shoot. I don't mean that Rondo is a streaky shooter or an uncelebrated shooter. I mean he cannot shoot at all. He can't shoot any type of jump shot, evidenced by his appallingly low shooting percentage. He can't shoot from three, proven by his 25.5% career mark. Shit, he can't even shoot from the free throw line — the guy is a career 60.8% foul shooter, and this year he's shooting a laughable 35.7% from the stripe.
I'm sorry, but that makes you not only no longer one of the best point guards in the Association, but one of the biggest liabilities in the game.
With his in-season move to the Dallas Mavericks, Rondo was supposed to revive his career and become a trump card for an aging Dallas core. Instead, Rondo has seen his playing time cut and his numbers fall off down in Big D, as the Mavericks sit in the seventh spot in the West as the playoffs approach.
It's been a stunning fall to say the least, but that's how things go in today's NBA. If you can't shoot, you can't be considered elite anymore — at least not as a floor general.
The crazy part is that Rajon Rondo used to be so supremely entertaining and awesome that he'd make those in the game hurt trying to play him. His game was like laced cheeba, because it would fuck your shit up.
The Wu-Tang Clan knew this, and that's why there was a Rondo name drop on the track "Laced Cheeba."
So as we enter the postseason, let's reminisce with this Wu-Tang joint.
The Rondo that inspired such lyrics may be gone for good, but the song remains the same.
