Boston Celtics rookie Marcus Smart has wasted no time getting into the Celtics’ training facilities, preparing for the season and getting to know his new teammates. In particular, Smart has relished the opportunity to work with the Celtics’ star point guard Rajon Rondo, who has also returned to Boston early in preparation for a big 2014-15 season.
While Smart was widely viewed as one of the most NBA-ready players in the 2014 draft class, Rondo is surprising the rookie with his skills and is providing valuable lessons for the former Oklahoma State point guard. Smart answered questions from the media at a golf day for the Shamrock Foundation and was asked what it has been like facing up against the four-time All-Star Rondo.
"“It’s totally different than what I expected it to be.” Smart said. “He’s one of the premier guards and he shows it and his play shows why he is. Some of the things he does on the court, it’s like, ‘How did he do that?’ Just being able to be around him and learn from him is an amazing feeling.”"
Smart admitted he was surprised at just how helpful Rondo had been so far. Smart, himself a point guard was expecting to get the rookie treatment from an admittedly hard-headed Rondo, but it sounds like the veteran has embraced the opportunity and is passing on priceless experience prior to Smart’s first season in the NBA. ”
"I was expecting him to kind of shun me off and push me to the side and kind of learn on my own.”"
Even more exciting for Celtics’ fans may be Smart’s assessment of how Rondo has looked so far in scrimmages. Coming off ACL surgery, Rondo was inconsistent last season, but if the rookie is to be believed the Celtics’ star guard could be back near his athletic best for opening night.
"“To me, he’s 100 percent,” Smart said. “Making cuts, stopping on a dime, knocking down shots, full-out sprints. You couldn’t tell that he was hurt.”"
The full interview can be seen below courtesy of the Boston Celtics’ official YouTube channel.
While the review from Marcus Smart comes as great news ahead of training camp, Celtics’ co-owner Wyc Grousbeck was quoted by Adam Kaufman at Boston.com as having mixed opinions on the Celtics’ star guard. While Grousbeck and the Celtics’ brass have repeatedly stated they plan to build around Rondo and want to keep the impending free agent, he did admit to some already widely spread rumors of Rondo being hard to coach.
"“He’s super stubborn,” revealed Grousbeck, adding Rondo is a good, generous kid who loves being in Boston. “I don’t know how coachable he really is.“I know if you ask [former, long-time head coach] Doc [Rivers], ‘Was he the most coachable guy, or in the top half, 50 percent,’ he’d say, ‘No, he’s in the bottom 50 percent of being coachable.’ It’s hard with him,” Grousbeck continued."
We’ve heard for years that Rondo and former coach Doc Rivers had often clashed and it may simply be a case of two individuals who did not see eye-to-eye. Thus far, Head Coach Brad Stevens has had nothing but praise for Rondo and we’ve yet to hear of anything other than a positive working relationship between the two.
It does appear that while Grousbeck is aware of some previous issues, he is keen to see Rondo as a Celtic long term and sounds like the opinion within the organization is that he brings far more good than bad to the team.
"Grousbeck was asked by anchor Dan Roche about the captain’s future, and the owner said he’d “absolutely” like Rondo to remain for the long-term.Pressed as to why, “It’s intangible,” Grousbeck said of the man he called a great Celtic. “You just watch him. He played through sort of a broken elbow, a ripped knee. He’s a gamer, he’s a competitor, and he’s got world-class talent.”"
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This does raise the question of how exactly
Danny Ainge, Stevens and Grousbeck view the future of the Celtics with Rondo and their new star-in-the-making Smart both playing the same position. After using the sixth pick in the draft on Marcus Smart, you would expect that he would eventually be viewed as a starting player, but has shown to be far more effective with the ball in-hand.
Defensively, the duo can certainly play alongside each other in the same line-up, however Smart’s talent may become more deserving of minutes at his preferred position sooner rather than later.
While it could certainly raise question marks in the future, it would be a good problem for the Celtics to have two starting caliber point guards on the roster and in the meantime Smart could find few better tutors in the league than Rondo. The former four-time All-Star and starting point guard for the 2008 championship team, Rondo is widely renowned as one of the smartest players in the league and has a rare gift when it comes to creating offense for his teammates.
Marcus Smart appears to be an enthusiastic student for one of the most cerebral point guards in the game and for now at least, it appears that Rondo is embracing his role as a veteran and leader for his new teammate.