Boston Celtics' Rajon Rondo: The Misguided Fans' Most Overrated NBA Player

Naysayer go-to No. 1: "Rajon Rondo isn't a top NBA point guard because he has yet to develop a concrete outside shot."

While Rondo has made improvements in his mid-range game, it's true, he is not there yet. 

Naysayer go-to No. 2: "You can't be an elite point guard if you post a poor free-throw percentage."

Rondo has bottomed out from the line, with a career low of 55.2 percent this year.

Naysayer go-to No. 3: "It's easy to pick up a lot of assists when you are surrounded by Hall of Famers."

Why is he viewed as overrated by the common "I think I know something" fan? Because ex-players and legends of the game continue to praise him (and rightfully so). 

Two-time MVP Steve Nash (Boston Herald):

"He's pretty unique...I can't think of anyone who quite has the same skill set he has. I mean, I guess the closest thing would have been maybe Jason Kidd in his day, but they're still different types of athletes."

Celtics legend Bob Cousy (ESPN):

"I've been watching the Celtics for the last 50 years...And Rondo is the first point guard since moi that I've been really excited about. Bird excited you, but he wasn't a point guard. JoJo [White] wasn't a point guard. He's the first since moi to get my attention," Cousy said.

"The kid is only 24. People talk about the Big Three. But this is the Big One. The sky is the limit as far as I can see."

Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra after last season's quarterfinals with Boston (Providence Journal):

"He is dynamic," the Miami coach said. "You can have three players in front of him and, similar to our guy [Dwyane Wade], he'll find that crack to the rim."

"Unless you see him live, it's like watching someone in fast forward."

Rondo won't be running out of compliments any time soon. The greats of the game will continue to recognize that the Celtics' point guard is a rare breed.

Still, in a league where the art of passing is not nearly as "cool" as the excitement of an elite scorer, Rondo is losing recognition to non-believers.

The claim that Rondo wouldn't be the player that he is without the teammates that joined him in just his second season is true in one sense—he has learned from them. Like many of the other Celtics players, Rondo has developed a team-first, never-say-die attitude thanks to his surrounding cast of NBA greats.

However, claiming that his numbers are over-inflated thanks to the Big Three borders on ridiculous. Rondo's assists would take a hit if the Celtics were forced to be more reliant on his scoring. Right?

With Amar'e Stoudemire gone from Phoenix, Nash is posting his highest point/assist totals in four years. (Collective naysayer gasp.) The author just compared Rondo to Nash!

The Cooz ran a team that featured a slew of Hall of Famers including Bill Russell, Bill Sharman, Tom Heinsohn and Sam Jones. Yet, nobody diminishes Cousy's resume or his stats just because he played on arguably the greatest team of all time. His legacy is never questioned.

Last season, Rondo smashed Cousy's franchise record of 715 assists in 75 games (1959-60 season), totaling 794 assists in 81 games. Rondo has also tied Cousy's playoff assist record of 19, twice.

Rondo is atop the NBA leaderboard for assists over Nash with 12.2 per game. He is second in assists with 2.36 per game beyond New Orleans' Chris Paul and second in rebounds out of point guards behind the Thunder's Russell Westbrook.

Beyond stats, there is a personality. Wilt Chamberlain had one and Russell had one. Just as Vince Carter has one and Kobe Bryant has one. You can probably pinpoint the differences.

It is near indisputable that the ability to win comes with a distinct level of cockiness. Garnett has it. Pierce has it. Allen has it (in humbled fashion, of course). Rondo has it.

Besides Rondo's skill level, there is a reason that he is able to run a team full of future HOF veterans. Like them, he has worked at it. He has learned that winning means sacrifice and through that sacrifice, he has become hard.

Rondo owns his responsibility as the general of the offense and has no problem clashing with his teammates if he doesn't like what he sees during a play. He has become a fearless leader that, like his fellow stars, rises to the occasion.

Rondo's presence marks the return of the pure point guard. A pass-first, instinctual and clever player that can work at any pace.

Rondo's game should not be undervalued merely because he is surrounded by more-than-capable shooters. He just happens to have the perfect style to help make a great team a championship team.