Another week, another villain.
As the Mavs continue their surprisingly success season tonight in Sacramento they’ll face another player who recently sabotaged them. Does the name Rajon Rondo ring a bell?
No offense to the unprecedented about-face perpetrated by DeAndre Jordan, but remember, Rondo actually quit on the team – in the playoffs.
I was as excited as anyone when the Mavs traded for Rondo last December. But from the start it was an awkward fit. Rondo’s nature was to walk the ball up the court while head coach Rick Carlisle prefers organic offense out of up-tempo. The Mavs didn’t have enough shooters to surround Rondo, so defenses left him open. He clashed with Carlisle, getting suspended for one game. In the end, he cared so little that he got a time violation for meandering in the backcourt in Game 2 of the playoff series with Houston. After a ridiculous foul a few minutes he was benched, banished and not welcomed back to the Mavs.
The Mavs were 26-20 with Rondo, and 24-12 without him.
There was no excuse for how he played, or acted. I know he didn’t ask to come to Dallas, but he’s still a professional. He quit on the Mavs, blatantly.
With more freedom, Rondo is flourishing with the Kings, averaging 12 points, seven rebounds and a league-leading 11 assists for the 6-12 Kings.
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We’re going to boo Jordan for what he didn’t do. But we also shouldn’t forget to despise Rondo for what he did.
A native Texan who was born in Duncanville and graduated from UT-Arlington, Richie Whitt has been a mainstay in the Metroplex media since 1986. He’s held prominent roles on all media platforms including newspaper (Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Dallas Observer), radio (105.3 The Fan) and TV (co-host on TXA 21 and numerous guest appearances, including NBC 5). He lives in McKinney with his wife, Sybil, and two very spoiled dogs.
