Earlier today it was reported that one of our favorite point guards was on the proverbial “bubble” after receiving a DNP in the USA’s one point win over Spain on Sunday. Late Monday, Rondo removed himself from team USA’s roster. Rondo is definitely a force to be reckoned with in the NBA, but when it comes to international basketball (or maybe Mike Krzyzewski), his talents are not as coveted.
Rondo has struggled as a shooter and flourishes when he’s given the green light to push the ball up the floor while the rest of the team fills the lanes. Unfortunately for Rondo, this is a rare occurrence when your playing with a host of NBA stars and a coach that would rather play checkers than play the dribble drive.
[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]Here’s what Rondo had to say after the DNP against Spain…
[QUOTE]”I think I’m on the bubble,” Rondo said Tuesday. “Just looking at the obvious — I got a DNP last game. That pretty much speaks for itself.”
“It’s what’s best for the country,” said Rondo, who said his DNP-CD (did not play — coach’s decision) Sunday was his first since his rookie NBA season. “It’s part of it. We knew coming in it was still tryouts until we make the team that goes to Turkey.”[/QUOTE]and here’s Coach K’s take who’s on “the bubble”…
[QUOTE]
“It’s not so much what Rajon has to show, it’s what our team needs. We’ve found a good lineup, and the international game is so different from the NBA game, you can ask any of these guys,” Krzyzewski said. “Part of it is to make sure that we try not to have two non-shooters out on the court, and there’s the physicality, too.
“Derrick right now being with Chauncey is a good [combination], and Stephen, he provides a different thing, because if they are going under [screens] and they keep going under on him, then he has a 3. So it forces another team to change the way they defend our team. So it’s things like that, and how we feel strategy-wise what’ll be best for the team.”
[/QUOTE]Then late Monday, USA Basketball released a post that had this nugget. It looks as if Rondo saw the writing on the wall and decided to make things easy on everyone (I prefer to look at it this way instead of saying he quit) when USA basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo had this to say…
[QUOTE]“Rajon came to us and said he was going to withdraw from the team, that he had some family matters to attend to and some things to take care of before the NBA season. He did an outstanding job during our training, we appreciate the effort and commitment he made to our program and he completely has our support,” said Colangelo. [/QUOTE]I for one hate to see Rondo go. He’s been one of my all time favorites since the first day he wore Kentucky blue. I also have to wonder if things might have been different if Calipari was coaching the USA team. I can see Rose and Rondo playing together and the dribble drive would be an international sensation overnight.
I guess Calipari will have to win a few championships before Team USA is ready to hand him the keys, but I’m sure that’s all a matter of time.
GO CATS!
Here’s NBA’s TV rundown of Team USA and Rondo..
[youtube_sc width=430 url=bPGa83vQ1Fc]
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