Rajon Rondo Learns Lesson from Team USA Experience

There are a lot of rumors about the real reason Rajon Rondo left Team USA, including questions about his attitude and his jumpshot. Boston Celtic management was not thrilled with his decision to try out for the team, but was very happy with the results.

The Celtics post season success had placed a lot of miles on his body; therefore, his brief off-season could best be spent working on his game.

Rondo's meteoric rise to being a top tier point guard has proven to be the force behind his stubbornness. After all, he has a championship ring, has averaged a near triple-double in a playoff series, and can be mentioned in the same breath as the great Oscar Robinson following a  29 point, 18 rebound, and 13 assist performance in a playoff game.

He has done all of this without a serviceable shot and terrible free throw shooting.

In the NBA he is one of the best, but the international game is a different beast. You have the euro two-step which Manu Ginobli of the San Antonio Spurs has perfected, the trapezoid lane, the non-goal tending rule, and the premium placed on shooting and physical play.

All of these factors exposed his short-comings and made it an easy choice for him to walk away.

Preseason begins October 3rd and Rondo now has a month to hone his skills. This hard work will become a strength in the throes of the playoffs.

It is somewhat interesting to hear that Doc Rivers was a fan of the Rajon Rondo experiment on Team USA. Doc understood that in the company of his peers, Rondo would be forced to acknowledge why there were detractors of his game.

He was judged not only by them, but in one of the best coaches in college basketball Mike Krzyzewski—in this case, coach don't lie!

Like Doc Rivers, Coach Krzyzewski is very astute at evaluating a player's strength and weaknesses. He doesn't mince his words and team needs always override player feelings.

Rondo could not ignore the fact that both his NBA coach and the coach of Team USA came to the same conclusion: if he does not fix the inconsistencies in his game he will be relegated to pedestrian status; this experience proves that.