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According to reports, former All-Star guard Rajon Rondo is joining the Milwaukee Bucks in an unspecified role and is currently serving as a guest coach in Bucks training camp. But, behind the scenes, the plan for Rondo to join Milwaukee had been in motion for a while. It started at Rondo's wedding in June when Bucks head coach Doc Rivers gave the former NBA guard a simple message.
“Get your ass to camp,” Rivers told Rondo, Rondo shared.
Rondo, who last played with the Los Angeles Lakers and Cleveland Cavaliers in 2021-22 and formally retired from a 16-season NBA career this past April, said he “absolutely” hopes to be an NBA coach someday.
“There's a lot of factors that go into coaching,” Rondo said. “You just can't say, I'm going to be a coach, and then everything works out, and that's how it happens. So certain personalities have to mesh, [and there's] a lot of sacrifice. There are certain things that I'm learning. The morning meetings, the amount of hours you're spending watching film, it's a lot.”
Although he shared that he doesn't have an exact path in mind, Rondo has been assisting players during practice, decked out in Bucks gear, and filling up a notebook with handwritten observations.
“I'm learning what it looks like,” he said of being on a coaching staff.
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What happened before Rajon Rondo joined the Bucks?
Since last playing in the NBA, Rondo has navigated a pair of legal issues. A May 2022 incident occurred where he was accused of pulling a gun on a woman, resulting in a later dismissed emergency protective order. In January 2024, Rondo was arrested on drug and gun charges. But now, Rondo is focused on his next career steps. Although he declined to say whether he received any offers from other teams, he said he appreciated that Rivers, who coached Rondo for seven seasons in Boston, is giving him this opportunity. Rivers returned the praise.
“He's the smartest player I've ever coached — and not just smart,” Rivers told ESPN. “He knows when to and when not to say stuff. He's a great team builder. It's just fun, and it's great to have him around.”
Rondo, a four-time All-Star, led the NBA in steals per game in 2009-10 and assists per game for separate seasons. He made the league's All-Defensive Team four times and won NBA titles with the 2007-08 Boston Celtics and the 2019-20 Lakers. Rondo averaged 9.8 points, 7.9 assists, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.6 steals in 957 career games.
