Rajon Rondo: The Moment I Realized the NBA Is Just a Business

• March 2, 2013
• Jesandy

This video showed up again on my YouTube recommendations the other day: a “Top 10 Plays” compilation of Rajon Rondo. Maybe Youtube knew He is hell of player and one of my favorite Celtic player. So, Of course I watched again.

And yeah… still the same Rondo. The no-look passes, the impossible angles, the way he drives, the way he controls the game like he’s always one step ahead, the unbelievable Playoff player..!!

Watching those moments again reminded me of something I used to believe.

Back then, I didn’t just see highlights. As A Celtics fans, Most people will agree with me, We saw the future of the Boston Celtics.

When the Future Felt Obvious

This was during the era of Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen. A team that, honestly, already felt complete.

They had everything, leadership, scoring, defense, experience. They were champions. They were feared.

But we knew they were also getting older.

And in the middle of all that, there was Rondo.

Younger. Faster. Smarter. A completely different kind of player.

While the Big Three dominated in their own ways, Rondo felt like the engine quietly running underneath everything.

And to fans like me, it felt obvious: When the Big Three fade… Rondo takes over.

Not just as a player, but as the foundation of the next Boston dynasty..!! Yeah I said that…

Rajon Rondo: Feels So Celtics..!!

Rondo wasn’t even a top draft pick. There was no massive hype when he arrived (21st overall pick – 2006 NBA draft)

But that made the story even better.

He grew into the role. Earned his place. And eventually became one of the most unique point guards in the league.

He could score. He controlled and naturally dictated the game, dropping dimes out of nowhere. He made his teammates way more better.

But last but not least – from my own personal perspective – he seemed to fear nothing.

This was the mentality I’d waited for since Larry Bird. These were the guys who played fearless, who could go toe-to-toe with anyone. The kind who could “dismantle” opponents without backing down.

Those kind of player doesn’t just fit into a system, We will be able to build the next dynasty around him. And again, that’s what I thought.

And Then, It Just Didn’t Happen

Long story goes, there are no dynasty, no smooth transition, not even close.

Instead, things slowly fell apart.

The Big Three era ended, the team shifted direction, and eventually, Rajon Rondo was gone..

Yes, I know. I’ve seen plenty of teams fail to build a championship contender.

But that was supposed to be other teams. Not the Celtics.

This is the franchise that knows how to spot talent better than anyone. The management, the coaches; they’re supposed to be championship material.

The Rondo project felt different. It felt close. The risk seemed small. Building a new dynasty felt possible. Even easy.

The story was already written.

And then… it just didn’t happen..

It Just About “Business”

That was probably the first time I truly realized something:

The NBA is not about stories, it is about decisions driven by something much less emotional:

Business.

The Boston Celtics didn’t move on from Rondo because fans stopped believing in him.

They moved on because: timelines has changed, era shifted, strategy need to be adjust, assets needed to be rebalanced, or the player is not just enough

Whether it was about his fit, his personality, his injury, or long-term planning; it didn’t really matter from a fan’s perspective.

“Businesswise” (or business-wise) is an adverb or adjective meaning “in terms of business” or “regarding the business aspect of a situation”. It is used to describe matters related to company operations, strategy, or financial profit – en.wiktionary.org

Rajon Rondo Story: And It Was Never Just About the Game

That was probably when the way I watch the NBA started to change.

I used to enjoy the idea of watching something grow, a young player developing, a team building from nothing into something bigger.

That’s why players like Rajon Rondo felt exciting. You could connect the dots and imagine where it was going.

But over time, that mindset doesn’t really hold anymore.

Players don’t always stay, teams don’t always build step by step, and what looks like a clear future… can change very quickly. Not really thinking about who will stay or where this is all leading. because chances are, it won’t play out the way we expect anyway.

Instead, I just enjoy what’s in front of me. The match itself, the strategy and how teams adjust. How the players fit (or don’t fit) into a the game.

And when a young player shows up with potential, it still catches my attention.

But now the thought is different:

Because in today’s NBA, the story could “end up anywhere“.