After sending the New Orleans Pelicans home in five games, Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green commended Rajon Rondo as one of the smartest players in the league.

As posted by Dime on UPROXX, Green tipped his hat off to Rondo:

“I got much respect for Rondo, man. That guy's been great for a lot of years in this league.

He's a champion. You know, I think one of the masterminds in this league. I don't think… there's very many guys that's super smart in this league — he's definitely one of them.”

Below is the clip:

Rondo's stint with the Pelicans has been sort of a renaissance in his career. After leaving the Boston Celtics — a team where he was a critical part of in its championship run, Rondo jumped to the Dallas Mavericks, Sacramento Kings, and Chicago Bulls — all in a span of thee years.

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Now he has found his home with the Pelicans — forming a powerhouse lineup with Anthony Davis, Jrue Holiday, and DeMarcus Cousins. They fell short this season, but in the next year or two, expect the Pelicans to be one of the strongest teams in the NBA, especially if they retain Cousins.

Rondo once spoke about his new team, comparing it to his days in Boston. Per Nick Friedell of ESPN:

“It's kind of like my Boston days,” said Rondo, who dished out a franchise-postseason-record 21 assists in the Pelicans' Game 3 victory. “It's hard to say because the personalities are different, but at the end of the day I love the unselfishness of the group. And I think what we're finding out is that when we play together, we're a better team. The only thing that matters — the locker room and culture is different when you're winning, and when you win it's a great feeling.”