Fw: rajon rondo scouting report

[Kim Malo]

At 06:32 PM 6/12/2006, Josh Ozersky wrote:
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: <mailto:jozersky at optonline.net>Josh Ozersky
>To: <mailto:celtics at igtc.com>The Boston Celtics Mailing List
>Sent: Sunday, June 11, 2006 7:07 PM
>Subject: rajon rondo scouting report
>
>I didn't know much about this guy....here's what Draftexpress says:
>
>
>Print
>Rajon Rondo
>
>Name:Rajon Rondo
>Height:6' 1"
>Weight:175 pounds
>Current Team:Kentucky , Sophomore
>
>NBA Position:PG
>Date of Birth:2/22/1986 (20 Years Old)
>High School:Oak Hill Academy
>Hometown:Louisville, KY
>Earliest Draft Class:2005
>Current Position:PG
>Possible Positions:PG
>Best Case Scenario:Rich Man's Brevin Knight
>Worst Case Scenario:Jacque Vaughn
>Profile Written By:Jonathan Givony, J.L. Weill
>Last Updated:4/17/2006
>
>Strengths:
>Jonathan Givony (4/17/2005)
>
>In terms of physical attributes, Rondo possesses everything the NBA 
>looks for in a successful starting point guard, minus possibly an 
>inch of height. He is a phenomenal athlete with an incredibly quick 
>first step, awesome foot-speed in the open floor, and terrific 
>leaping ability. Rondo also has a gigantic wingspan and enormous 
>hands, which allows him to play much bigger than his size.
>
>As a point guard, Rondo is of the pass-first variety, being highly 
>unselfish and featuring excellent court vision and passing ability. 
>Although he didn't always get a chance to show it, he is everything 
>scouts look for in terms of being able to run a team, particularly 
>his intelligence and poise with the ball in his hands, along with 
>his ball-handling skills and natural talent in finding the open man. 
>Rondo is at his best on the drive and dish, being able to get into 
>the lane almost at will thanks to his terrific speed and 
>ball-handling ability, and once he does being highly creative in 
>finding open shooters spotting up on the wing. He didn't get to show 
>this off too often, but Rondo is a very flashy playmaker who can 
>thread the needle to spectacular lobs from the perimeter or sharp 
>bounce passes to open cutters. Although his assists average isn't 
>incredibly high, his assist to turnover ratio is one of the best 
>amongst point guards in this draft at 2.11/1. Rondo is a very 
>confident ball-handler going either left or right, keeping the ball 
>very low to the ground, and is excellent at breaking the full-court 
>press thanks to his terrific speed and poise.
>
>As a slasher, Rondo has plenty of potential, but didn't really get 
>to show off everything he can do at the college level because of 
>Kentucky's slow it down style of play that prefers excessive 
>ball-movement around the perimeter rather than one on one play. If 
>given the green light, Rondo will be an excellent shot creator at 
>the next level, as he is extremely difficult to stay in front of. 
>Once he did get into the lane in college, he showed plenty of 
>creativity finishing around the hoop, particularly with an 
>assortment of runners and floaters. He is capable of stopping 
>abruptly in the paint if the lane is too clogged, and floating a six 
>to eight footer high off the glass. When making his way all the way 
>to the basket, his long arms, terrific leaping ability and excellent 
>body control aid him greatly in finishing creatively around the rim, 
>often with contact. He is generally a tough player who has no 
>problem getting dirty to get the job done. Despite his diminutive 
>size, Rondo can get up and dunk with the best of them and will 
>sometimes just flush the ball through after a penetration rather 
>than laying it up to ensure that he gets his team two points.
>
>Defensively is where Rondo really made a name for himself as a high 
>school player and initially in college. He has excellent lateral 
>quickness and superbly quick and incredibly big hands. These two 
>things together combined with his length make him a terror getting 
>in the passing lanes, and Rondo indeed has league leading potential 
>in this area if playing for a coach that doesn't mind him gambling 
>for steals on occasion. He's extremely smart and confident in his 
>defensive ability, and has the potential to develop into a 
>smothering perimeter defender thanks to all of his outstanding 
>physical attributes and the skills he already shows here. He's not 
>afraid to step in the lane and take a charge if the situation calls for it.
>
>Due to these same physical attributes (length, superb quickness and 
>leaping ability, outstanding hands) Rondo is also a terrific 
>rebounder who indeed led his team in this area from the point guard 
>position. His toughness helps him out greatly in this area, and his 
>Kentucky team would likely have been in very bad shape without his 
>6+ rebounds in 31 minutes per game. He managed to pull down 19 
>rebounds in 33 minutes in one extremely impressive performance 
>against Iowa early on in the year.
>
>In terms of intangibles, it's hard to get a great read because of 
>all the chaos surrounding Kentucky's program this year, but it 
>appears that Rondo will test out just fine. He by all accounts has a 
>good attitude towards the game and a strong character, being a bit 
>on the quiet side (particularly with the Kentucky media who he never 
>seemed very fond of), highly unselfish, and probably not a 
>trouble-making type. His work ethic is reportedly very strong and as 
>we saw all season long, does exactly what he's told by his coaching staff.
>
>
>-----------------------------------------
>
>(J.L. Weill, 11/1/2006)
>
>There is little doubt that Tubby Smith evicted some of his tough 
>recruiting luck when Rajon Rondo fell into his lap. Originally 
>focused on his hometown Cardinals, Rondo didn't hesitate when the 
>big blue skipper came calling with a scholarship.
>
>Rondo is a Smith player if there ever was one, a defensive hound 
>that changes the game with his wingspan and instincts. In his first 
>year, all the dynamic guard did was set the school record for steals 
>in a season, demonstrating that he was perhaps the quickest player 
>in college basketball. There are times when Rondo is on the court 
>that it appears he's moving a few steps faster than the rest of the 
>players. While for some players this could be nothing more an 
>interesting sidenote or even possibly a detriment, for Rondo this is 
>the trait that feeds all his other strengths.
>
>Rondo's unusually long arms and giant hands, combined with his 
>quickness, adds up to an enormous amount of steals leading to easy 
>scores. In fact, Rondo's attention to defense may be his most 
>promising trait as a player.
>
>The Kentucky point guard also has already displayed pro-caliber body 
>control, which makes him difficult to stop on the drive. Like Allen 
>Iverson, another speedster, Rondo uses his athleticism to create 
>space between himself and a defender even when he's already in the air.
>
>Rondo has a great demeanor for a major college point guard. Rarely 
>in a rush, his complete control of the ball gives him time to scan 
>the whole court. He is most adept on the fast break, where whomever 
>is trailing the play better keep his eyes open.
>
>Weaknesses:
>Jonathan Givony (4/17/2005)
>
>Despite his highly intriguing physical attributes and skills, Rondo 
>is anything but a surefire bet to pan out as a starting caliber NBA 
>point guard.
>
>The biggest concern about his game revolves around his perimeter 
>shooting ability. Much like with what we see with big men at the 
>free throw line, Rondo's massive hands prevent him from being 
>comfortable in his shooting mechanics and show any consistency in 
>his release. We saw his shooting mechanics change drastically all 
>season long, and more often than not it looked like he was heaving a 
>bowling ball at the basket both aesthetically and in terms of the 
>end result. He only hit 18 3-pointers all season long and did it on 
>a dreadful 27% accuracy from this range.
>
>These same problems prevent him from even being an average free 
>throw shooter in college as well, hitting a pathetic 57% from the 
>charity stripe. Rondo is better from mid-range, but is still far 
>from being NBA caliber here too, particularly in terms of pulling up 
>off the dribble. He would be well served to continue to work on 
>adding a wider array of hesitation moves, crafty head and body fakes 
>and other change of pace skills to help him become an even more 
>effective slasher, as team's will likely just back off him and dare 
>him to shoot the 3.
>
>It's difficult to tell how much of this had to do with Rondo's 
>already tentative nature and how much was due to Coach Tubby Smith's 
>slow it down old-fashioned style of play, but Rondo is often very 
>indecisive regardless of what the reason for it was. He appeared to 
>be on a very short leash all season long, even coming off the bench 
>at times or playing off the ball (or both), and therefore didn't put 
>up the most impressive numbers in the world. He can get very passive 
>at times, trying harder to limit mistakes rather than go out and 
>make plays the way everyone knows he can. Again, this was not always 
>something he could control since if he wanted to stay on the floor 
>(the smallest mistake would usually see him yanked to the bench 
>immediately), he had to play the way his coach told him to.
>
>The expectations from Kentucky's rabid fan base, paparazzi-esqe 
>local media, as well as the glare of the national media spotlight 
>that declared him the best point guard in college basketball very 
>early on appeared to take a heavy toll on him as the season wore on, 
>as he never really managed to live up to them.
>
>Rondo is neither incredibly tall, nor strong. His frame looks fairly 
>frail and he could face some issues fighting through screens on the 
>defensive end or finishing strong at the basket offensively until he 
>finds a way to continue to add strength.
>
>Rondo is clearly still coming into his own as a player and at this 
>point projects as more of an upside type than an immediate contributor.
>
>
>-----------------------------------------
>
>(J.L. Weill, 11/1/2006)
>
>Rondo began his career with a penchant for the spectacular, throwing 
>a few too many passes away for his coaches' taste. However, as his 
>freshman season wore on, Rondo got better with the ball. While 
>competing with several other top points for a spot on the Team USA 
>U-21 club, the ever-improving Rondo wowed scouts and coaches with 
>his heady play and cool demeanor.
>
>Rondo's offensive game is still a work in progress. While his shot 
>has improved, he is not ready to play in the NBA. For Rondo to take 
>the next step, he must become a more consistent perimeter threat. He 
>is hesitant to shoot unless wide open, but once defenders have to 
>respect his shot, it will open up the court for his very effective 
>dribble drive.
>
>Early indications are that Rondo's improvement offensively has taken 
>leaps ands bounds. If so, scouts are sure to take notice.
>
>The fact that he is only 6-1 (below average size for an NBA PG) also 
>will never be considered a feather in his cap.
>
>Competition:
>Jonathan Givony (4/17/2005)
>
>Rondo plays for one of the most storied programs in college 
>basketball history in Kentucky under one of the most highly 
>respected coaches in college basketball in Tubby Smith. He was a 
>highly recruited prep player who played for one of the most visible 
>high schools in the country at Oak Hill academy, earning him 
>McDonald's All-America honors.
>
>As a freshman Rondo came in right away and got significant playing 
>time, helping his team make the Elite Eight of the NCAA tournament 
>before being eliminated in overtime by Michigan State. He averaged 8 
>points, 3.5 assists and 3 rebounds on 51% shooting from the field, 
>30% from behind the arc and 58% from the free throw line.
>
>That summer, Rondo was invited to USA Basketball's U-21 World 
>Championship Team that went to Argentina and ended up finishing 5th 
>in the tournament with a 7-1 overall record. Rondo was by all 
>accounts the star of this very loaded team of college stars, 
>featuring players such as Rudy Gay, J.J. Redick, Mardy Collins, 
>Marcus Williams and others. He finished the tournament with a record 
>27 steals, a team high 4.5 assists per game, and was the 3rd leading 
>scorer with 11 points per game (team high was Allan Ray with 12.3), 
>shooting 65% from the field (tournament best) in the competition.
>
>In his sophomore year, expectations were sky high, as he was named 
>to the SEC preseason 1st team well as a national All-American 
>according to some publications. Kentucky started off the season 
>poorly and never really recovered, being blown out embarrassingly by 
>Kansas, losing to Vanderbilt at home for the first time ever, being 
>blown out on national TV at archrival Florida and eventually 
>squeezing into the NCAA tournament as an 8 seed after righting the 
>ship a bit late in the year. Kentucky ended up losing a hard-fought 
>battle to UConn in the 2nd round of the tournament. Rondo was up and 
>down throughout the season, being brought off the bench midway 
>through the SEC conference slate, seeing heavy minutes playing off 
>the ball, and never really forming much chemistry with his team or 
>coach. He ended up averaging 11 points, 6 rebounds and nearly 5 
>assists on 48% shooting from the field, 27% from the 3-point line 
>and 57% from the free throw line.
>
>
>-----------------------------------------
>
>(J.L. Weill, 11/1/2006)
>
>
>Rondo's outstanding freshman season including several high profile 
>matchups, including a strong game against Alabama (Ronald Steele) 
>and solid efforts against North Carolina and Florida.
>
>The sophomore campaign for the lightning quick point offers more 
>marquee opportunities, including possible games against Texas and 
>Iowa as well as guaranteed shots at Louisville, Kansas and Indiana.
>
>Outlook:
>Jonathan Givony (4/17/2006)
>
>In a draft completely devoid of legit point guard prospects, many 
>scouts feel that Rondo's combination of outstanding physical 
>attributes, athleticism and playmaking ability make him the best 
>point guard in this draft. This is based more on his upside than 
>anything. The prevailing notion is that he was completely 
>underutilized by a very stubborn Tubby Smith who refused to adapt 
>his system to accommodate a player who is so talented driving to the 
>basket and distributing the ball. Many feel that his strengths are 
>better suited to the pro game where a lot of teams like to get up 
>and down the floor. Once he gets into private workouts and is able 
>to show scouts just what a freak he is physically (with his length 
>and gigantic hands) and athletically, many questions could be 
>answered about just what his professional outlook is. Rondo will 
>need to work hard on his shooting mechanics (he is reportedly 
>working out on just that with Michael Jordan's trainer, Tim Grover 
>in Chicago) and show that he is capable of at least punishing teams 
>should they decide to completely sag off of him. Rondo hired an 
>agent (Bill Duffy) very early on in the process and is considered 
>about as close to a lock for the 1st round as you can get at this 
>point. With strong workouts he has a good chance at ending up in the 
>lottery when it's all said and done.
>
>-----------------------------------------
>
>(J.L. Weill, 11/1/2005)
>
>For Rajon Rondo, the last few years have been a lot like what it 
>must feel to play against him: a blur. Going from being a McDonald's 
>All-American at Oak Hill to a top ten Kentucky program, college 
>basketball's all-time winningest, where the glare of the spotlight 
>never fades, was a major jump.
>
>There is little doubt Rondo sees the NBA as a very real possibility 
>whenever he feels so inclined to make the leap. Judging by early 
>returns, Rondo has the skills and will to get it done. His offensive 
>development is the only thing keeping him back.
>
>Comments:
>(J.L. Weill, 11/1/2005)
>
>The young point guard from Oak Hill Academy (Va.) cracked the 
>Kentucky starting lineup with his play in practice, not in games. In 
>becoming the first freshman (with co-frosh Randolph Morris) to start 
>an opening game for Tubby Smith in years, Rondo has already quieted 
>some doubters.
>
>It seems the major media outlets are starting to take notice as 
>well. Rondo's flashy play and defensive prowess should make him a 
>highlight reel regular, something that will only add to Rondo's NBA resume.
>
>Facts:
>Jonathan Givony (4/17/2006)
>
>-----------------------------------------
>
>(J.L. Weill, 11/1/2005)
>
>- Rondo has a vast collection of basketball sneakers which he 
>meticulously catalogs and cleans in his Wildcat Lodge dorm room at Kentucky.
>
>- Rondo was the backup plan recruit for Louisville coach Rick 
>Pitino, behind Sebastian Telfair. But the Oak Hill star got tired of 
>waiting and when Tubby Smith extended a scholarship offer, he 
>hungrily accepted. Telfair went pro a few weeks later, leaving 
>Pitino out to dry.