Camerato On Toucher & Rich: 'Just A Different Side' To Rondo
BOSTON (CBS) –Boston Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo can frustrate opponents with his play just as easily as he can frustrate fans, and the media, with his attitude.
But is the frustration warranted, or is Rondo just misunderstood? CSNNE's Jessica Camerato joined 98.5 The Sports Hub's Toucher and Rich to talk about the Celtics enigmatic point guard.
"There is just a different side to him," said Camerato, who had an article earlier this week looking deeper into who Rajon Rondo is. "It's funny because when people talk about as his player status begins to rise, a lot of people just expected his public profile (to rise) as well, and his acceptance with the media and in the spotlight; he was never like that when I started covering him as a rookie, and he really hasn't become that guy yet."
"Really, up until this year, it was never the Big 4 until now. All this time, Rondo has not been the guy in the spotlight. But when his playing status earns that type of attention, now it's almost like it's expected he is going to embrace that, and that's not the type of person he is," said Camerato.
Rondo was criticized heavily during the 2009 playoffs when he did not speak with reporters after recording a triple double against the Bulls in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals.
"That's just not the type of player he is… I actually asked him about that and he said, 'what does it matter? We got the win, it's not about me it's about the team,'" said Camerato of the postgame snub. "I think what he was saying was 'why do I need to go out and talk about my triple double, when we won the game?' I don't think he wanted the win to be about himself."
Recently, veteran Ray Allen has given Rondo some guidance on how to deal with the media.
"(Allen) pointed out the fact that you're involvement with the media has a long-term implications on your career. It effects your all-star status, it effects your likeability with people, and those are things you have to consider," said Camerato. "Rondo is very, very complex. Right now there's this perception he's this stand-offish guy. When you talk with him and put in the effort with him, he will talk, but he's not going to be this media-savvy guy."
"Rondo is a very likeable guy once he is away from the cameras and in a situation in which he's comfortable," she said. "He does a lot of community work privately. It's just very ironic; he's on magazine covers, he does commercials, he's been in a movie. So there are situations in which he's comfortable, and I think with time he will evolve more into that public role, but I don't expect him to be a Ray Allen in any point in his career."
