Rajon Rondo has built a reputation as one of the NBA's most mercurial players, known to rub off as an instigator against on-court opponents and an intermittent challenger to head coaches due to a clash of high-level basketball intellect.

The Los Angeles Lakers point man has bounced around five teams in his last five seasons after getting traded by the Boston Celtics, a journeyman life he thinks hasn't painted him in the best of lights.

“I don’t think the perception of me is amazing,” Rondo admitted to Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated. “I don’t think it’s great, you know, the player I am on the court. I am a competitive player. I don’t really go out there and try to be friends.

“I look at it as going to war. When you go to war you don’t have friends. When I play, I play for my teammates. I play for my team. And I’m an emotional, passionate player. I play the game, and I want to win as much as possible, by any means necessary. So, from that aspect, I’ve got into it with a couple of referees. I don’t have any dirty plays. As for my reputation, it is what it is, whatever critics write or say about me, I don’t give two s***s as long as people around me understand where I come from and what I want to do for my family.”

Article Continues Below
More Los Angeles Lakers News
LeBron James, Stephen (Steph) Curry, who may be heading to an ESPN NBA broadcasting booth after they retire, after Lakers-Warriors game on December 25, 2024.
ESPN has ‘hopeful’ LeBron James, Stephen Curry wishAndrew Korpan ·
Chris Paul rescinded NBA trade Lakers Hornets
NBA news: Chris Paul shuts down Hornets-Lakers trade conspiracyJulian Ojeda ·
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) celebrates with Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) during the fourth quarter.
Luka Doncic’s offseason body transformation has Lakers fans hypedJedd Pagaduan ·
Lakers' Shaquille O'Neal stands next to Kobe Bryant with GOAT signs in background
Shaquille O’Neal has no regrets over treatment of Kobe BryantRandall Barnes ·
image thumbnail
NBA rumors: Lakers’ Austin Reaves trade strategy as 2 center targets emergeErik Slater ·
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) controls the ball against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the first half in game five of first round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena.
Lakers’ LeBron James dumps fuel on Brian Windhorst feud with calloutMalik Brown ·

Rondo has approached this outside perception with the same attitude he's approached matchups for his entire career, the same nastiness that made him such a gritty, undersized defender and a hard-nosed hustler at both ends of the court.

The stigma is likely to follow him for the rest of his career, but for those in his inner circle, distinctly memorable has proven much better than easily forgettable.