Dwyane Wade praises Rajon Rondo when he needs it most
Rajon Rondo’s teammate Dwyane Wade praises his professionalism for handling his demotion.
The days of Rajon Rondo asking for a max deal may be over, but Rondo bumping heads with coaches and their philosophy have not. This past Friday as Rondo and his team, the Chicago Bulls, faced the Indiana Pacers, Rondo was benched in the second half as the Bulls suffered a 111-101 defeat. Rondo has not played since, with Bulls head coach Fred Hoiberg electing to keep the point guard benched.
Rondo, not happy but not disappointed with the benching, stated he would ask for a trade if his benching continues. But, it could be a wise decision at this point in Rondo’s career to take heed as to why he’s benched.
Fellow Bulls guard Dwyane Wade has seen it all in the 14 seasons he’s played in the NBA, so he’s a witness to what professionalism looks like. Recently, he spoke to reporters with how impressed he was how Rondo has handled his demotion.
“He’s a good player in this league and has had some big games for us,” Wade said via the Chicago Tribune. “The decision that was made obviously came from up top and the head coach. It’s just a tough position to be in, a tough situation. It can be uncomfortable at times, especially when your teammates don’t know what’s going on and it’s not their job to know what’s going on. I think he has handled it great. That’s all you can ask for from a player, that they’re professional about whatever situation comes their way. He’s been very professional about it up to this point. But it still sucks. It’s unfortunate.”
Although Wade’s comments are refreshing, it’s hard to ignore Rondo’s history with being headstrong. Rondo has built a reputation for being one of the NBA’s most unique talents and brightest minds. But, Rondo is on his third team in three seasons and his attitude/stubbornness to change have been a contributing factor to why he’s bouncing around.
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Thankfully for Rondo, having a voice from someone like Wade is befitting for his reputation as of now. If Rondo can continue to take the benching in stride, as well as Hoiberg’s coaching, he can recoup his job. His image could also recover, too.