Rajon Rondo is in camp with the Milwaukee Bucks as a guest coach, which is a role he is expected to play throughout the 24-25 season.
Rondo retired from his playing career this past April and was soon recruited by Doc Rivers to join the coaching ranks.
“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.”
Rondo said he doesn’t have an exact path in mind.
“You see people go from not coaching to head-coaching jobs all the time,” he said. “A lot of people go straight to becoming assistant coaches. So there’s just no path. I just want to seek as much information as possible.”
“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.”
Rivers is reminded of his own journey from playing to coaching.
“I just think there’s certain guys that should be a coach,” Rivers said. “It’s funny, I never thought I was going to coach, and Pat Riley told me I’m coaching. I said, ‘No, I’m going to do TV.’ He said, ‘You’ll be a coach’ and Pat Riley never relented. And when I did TV those first three years, he would send texts or letters like, ‘Get your f—ing ass on the sideline.’ And I feel the same way [with Rondo].”