If Pope wants to kill it on the recruiting trail, there's one man to turn to...

[Son_Of_Saul]

1. Brilliant basketball mind. Kobe called him the one of the smartest basketball players of all time. Kobe also said this of him, "I love his attitude, I love his chippiness, his edge, his intellect, his know-it-allness. All of it. That's what makes championship players."
LeBron said this of him, “One of the best players I ever played with. Obviously his IQ is out of this world. I was very lucky to get to team up with him at that point when I was here in L.A."
2. #6 in all-time playoff assists.
3. Two-time NBA champion.
4. Competitive (and vengeful) as hell.
5. Fiercely loyal to the program. Stood up for Kentucky over Calipari just a few days ago.
6. Well connected to the league and is close friends with Wall, Davis, LeBron, Shaq, and many other NBA guys.
7. Sociopathic in his competitive nature.
8. Brilliant "real time" basketball mind.
9. Excellent mentor for our younger players.
10. Would make it personal on the recruiting trail, and it would work.

Most of all, I think he would unite the Calipari guys back to Kentucky. Wall is already on board. Rondo is already buddies with Davis, Bledsoe, and Cousins. Rondo would be that guy who could act as a liaison for our former Cal guys, to heal the wounds that took place, and offer a united front from which to present the Kentucky program to recruits and transfers.

 

[Skyguyb27]

He is also noted as being one of the biggest a$$holes ever to go through Kentucky and in the league and extremely difficult to be around. Keep him away.

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

He is also noted as being one of the biggest a$$holes ever to go through Kentucky and in the league and extremely difficult to be around. Keep him away.

That's small thinking.

Great players and competitors can be difficult to deal with. You just have to know how to turn them loose. Hurley is nuts. So is Pitino. Kobe and MJ were crazy. Riley was driven to the point of obsession when it came to trying to find ways to push the right button for his players (his book is a fascinating read on player motivation techniques). Even Coach K, for all of his "nice guy" mannerisms, was competitive as hell.

Rondo would be our cold-blooded recruiting assassin. He's sociopathic enough to make it work. He's also the dark angel on the recruit's shoulder to Pope's angel of light personality. A nice dichotomy from which to present the program to recruits.

It would be a homerun hire. Pope could be the "father knows best" personality from which to provide a great example to recruits, but Rondo could be the bad cop who challenges their masculinity in the middle of a Final Four game and helps that player get to that necessary next mental step.

 

[awf]

And currently a convicted felon with pending gun charges..........UK is not a, "win at any cost program:........

 

[drbubba]

Pelphrey used to be an excellent recruiter. Give him a call. It looks like we're getting the band back together, but Aretha might have something to say about that.

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

And currently a convicted felon with pending gun charges..........UK is not a, "win at any cost program:........

We should be.

Pope's morality will more than compensate for Rondo's rebel with a competitive cause aura.

Turn him loose on the recruiting trail. He'll tell recruits about Scheyer intellectually wetting the bed in the NBA. He'll display, in intimate detail, the mental insecurities of Hubert Davis. He'll vandalize the image of Danny Hurley and talk about how limited he is due to this lack of playing at the highest level.

Rondo is the guy you send in to burn the enemy empire to the ground. He cuts the throat of your recruiting opponents while they sleep. He impales the dead corpses of his enemies with his exposing of their actual weaknesses through game footage. If you bring a switchblade to an alleyway recruiting brawl, he's bringing a flamethrower and a psychotically playful smile.

He's the Val Kilmer Doc Holiday to Mark Pope's Sam Elliot Virgil Earp. When your opponent's Johnny Ringo asks, "Who wants to play for blood," Rondo casually and with sociopathic calmness emerges from the shadows with a, "I'm your huckleberry" flash of the grin.

He'd instantly be the most competitive assistant coach in the nation.

 

[DreadLox]

We should be.

Pope's mortality will more than compensate for Rondo's rebel with a cause aura.

I fn love typos.

 

[AzubuikeandFitch]

And currently a convicted felon with pending gun charges..........UK is not a, "win at any cost program:........

Charges or convicted? I saw he was pulled over and had a gun and some weed on him. He's part of about half the population now pack a gun and a bowl.

 

[MakinMusic]

He is also noted as being one of the biggest a$$holes ever to go through Kentucky and in the league and extremely difficult to be around. Keep him away.

Just a competitor. He’s probably chilled a bit as he’s aged.

 

[colonelcat78]

1. Brilliant basketball mind. Kobe called him the one of the smartest basketball players of all time. Kobe also said this of him, "I love his attitude, I love his chippiness, his edge, his intellect, his know-it-allness. All of it. That's what makes championship players."
LeBron said this of him, “One of the best players I ever played with. Obviously his IQ is out of this world. I was very lucky to get to team up with him at that point when I was here in L.A."
2. #6 in all-time playoff assists.
3. Two-time NBA champion.
4. Competitive (and vengeful) as hell.
5. Fiercely loyal to the program. Stood up for Kentucky over Calipari just a few days ago.
6. Well connected to the league and is close friends with Wall, Davis, LeBron, Shaq, and many other NBA guys.
7. Sociopathic in his competitive nature.
8. Brilliant "real time" basketball mind.
9. Excellent mentor for our younger players.
10. Would make it personal on the recruiting trail, and it would work.

Most of all, I think he would unite the Calipari guys back to Kentucky. Wall is already on board. Rondo would be that guy who could act as a liaison for our former Cal guys, to heal the wounds that took place, and offer a united front from which to present the Kentucky program to recruits and transfers.

If Rondo would respect Pope even when they disagree, then it can work. If not, it would create turmoil and be very disruptive.

 

[JoshAllenFan]

One thing to keep in mind with recruiting is that Pope is going to recruit guys that fit his system, not their star count. This is going to look different than Cal's recruiting.

 

[Ugoff]

This would be like dating the "hot but crazy" girlfriend. It's great at first but sooner or later you'll come to regret it.

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

One thing to keep in mind with recruiting is that Pope is going to recruit guys that fit his system, not their star count. This is going to look different than Cal's recruiting.

The great thing about Rondo is that he's equally as loyal to Kentucky as Pope, and their personalities mix well together when presented collectively to recruits.

They're both basketball geniuses, and they're both former NBA guys who know what it takes to make the league.

 

[anonymous_2011]

I'm excited to see what Pope can do. I am not gonna freak out if we don't get 4 or 5 Stud recruits every year. Honestly Ill be glad to get get "lesser" talent that we can build a program with. I'll admit Cal knows basketball way more then me but his philosophy seemed to be to just grab the best available without any regards of team need or system.

Not saying I want to go back to the later Tubby years or the BCG era but getting guys that fit is way better than just going after dudes because they are 5 stars.

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

This would be like dating the "hot but crazy" girlfriend. It's great at first but sooner or later you'll come to regret it.

You just need a "growth mindset."

When you go to war, you use total war. UConn's doing it now. Pitino did it in the 90s. Coach K did it for most of his career.

Sherman didn't prove his point in Atlanta by sipping lemonade with the mayor of Atlanta. He lit the torches and said, "war is hell," before signaling the first collective hurling of the torches.

Rondo gives you that willingness to burn your opponents to the ground.

 

[Bluegrassking]

I'm for adding Rondo to the mix.

By all accounts a great basketball mind and a driven competitor that has real juice as a known and respected player of the highest level.

We do this together.

 

[Elliott Tim]

1. Brilliant basketball mind. Kobe called him the one of the smartest basketball players of all time. Kobe also said this of him, "I love his attitude, I love his chippiness, his edge, his intellect, his know-it-allness. All of it. That's what makes championship players."
LeBron said this of him, “One of the best players I ever played with. Obviously his IQ is out of this world. I was very lucky to get to team up with him at that point when I was here in L.A."
2. #6 in all-time playoff assists.
3. Two-time NBA champion.
4. Competitive (and vengeful) as hell.
5. Fiercely loyal to the program. Stood up for Kentucky over Calipari just a few days ago.
6. Well connected to the league and is close friends with Wall, Davis, LeBron, Shaq, and many other NBA guys.
7. Sociopathic in his competitive nature.
8. Brilliant "real time" basketball mind.
9. Excellent mentor for our younger players.
10. Would make it personal on the recruiting trail, and it would work.

Most of all, I think he would unite the Calipari guys back to Kentucky. Wall is already on board. Rondo would be that guy who could act as a liaison for our former Cal guys, to heal the wounds that took place, and offer a united front from which to present the Kentucky program to recruits and transfers.

Great point.
But sometimes those that are fierce competitor's have trouble dealing with expectations that are unrealistic.
Kobe Bryant, one of my all time favorites, struggled with why everyone wasn't as driven as him.
But I do think an older, wiser Rhondo could be just what the doctor ordered

 

[CatPhight]

I wanted to see Dwane Casey as an interim with Rondo as coach in-waiting...

 

[UK90]

You’ve got a blind spot when it comes to Rondo. Yes, he had a tremendous NBA career (although his UK career was surprisingly mediocre) and had a tremendous on-court basketball IQ.

But he’s also had a reputation that’s followed him all the way from high school through the pros for having a difficult temperamental personality. And he also has unpleasant legal issues hanging over his head (which include allegedly threatening his ex with a gun in front of her kids) that should preclude him from consideration right now.

He’s a guy you want playing point guard for you, but not necessarily one you want on your coaching staff. Different jobs with different skill sets.

 

[catlogic15]

One thing to keep in mind with recruiting is that Pope is going to recruit guys that fit his system, not their star count. This is going to look different than Cal's recruiting.

Makes me nervous. I’d prefer not to have a 4-5 year rebuild. I’m old.

 

[SemperFiCat]

I like Rondo, but his basketball IQ doesn't mean he would kill it on the recruiting trail. He'd be more valuable in practice, lockeroom and bench. That's his value. He's got some baggage that will be tough to dance around.

 

[Titpwhami2014]

Rondo should, at absolute minimum, be our Player Development guy. Make it happen Coach P!

 

[Hopmix]

1. Brilliant basketball mind. Kobe called him the one of the smartest basketball players of all time. Kobe also said this of him, "I love his attitude, I love his chippiness, his edge, his intellect, his know-it-allness. All of it. That's what makes championship players."
LeBron said this of him, “One of the best players I ever played with. Obviously his IQ is out of this world. I was very lucky to get to team up with him at that point when I was here in L.A."
2. #6 in all-time playoff assists.
3. Two-time NBA champion.
4. Competitive (and vengeful) as hell.
5. Fiercely loyal to the program. Stood up for Kentucky over Calipari just a few days ago.
6. Well connected to the league and is close friends with Wall, Davis, LeBron, Shaq, and many other NBA guys.
7. Sociopathic in his competitive nature.
8. Brilliant "real time" basketball mind.
9. Excellent mentor for our younger players.
10. Would make it personal on the recruiting trail, and it would work.

Most of all, I think he would unite the Calipari guys back to Kentucky. Wall is already on board. Rondo is already buddies with Davis, Bledsoe, and Cousins. Rondo would be that guy who could act as a liaison for our former Cal guys, to heal the wounds that took place, and offer a united front from which to present the Kentucky program to recruits and transfers.
He’s recently been on tape saying he hates the current AAU system and thinks they are ruining the game by reducing the role of true point guard.

I like Rondo, but his basketball IQ doesn't mean he would kill it on the recruiting trail. He'd be more valuable in practice, lockeroom and bench. That's his value. He's got some baggage that will be tough to dance around.

He’s recently been on tape saying that AAU is ruining basketball by only making scorers and not teaching other fundamentals. Reducing the role of the point guard and playing position less basketball is bad for the game. Well you know who coaches that way? He goes into this on the JJ reddick podcast I think. He’s gonna be a great coach one day but not in popes system.

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

For all of the "bad teammate" (I think it has always depended on the type of players who evaluate Rondo and how they're wired) perpetuated by @Skyguyb27 and some of our other fans who are ignorant on the subject of Rondo, here's what his actual teammates and opponents say about him:


"He’s the smartest player that I’ve ever played with." - Brian Scalabrine

""Rondo was just so smart that his development, being around better players, just took off. He was also hard-headed as sh*t, a little goon, he was also in his head, he was one of us."

"I love his attitude, I love his chippiness, his edge, his intellect, his know-it-allness. All of it. That's what makes championship players." - Kobe Bryant

“One of the best players I ever played with. Obviously his IQ is out of this world. I was very lucky to get to team up with him at that point when I was here in L.A." - LeBron James


"Everyone I've talked to has raved about how intellectual he is...There is no bigger fan of Rajon Rondo than me. The way he plays, his instincts, his ability to make people better – he is an incredibly, incredibly talented person." - Brad Stevens

"Rondo is a basketball genius. Rondo is not a guy who you can say, 'paint by numbers'; Rondo is a creative genius...he'll make sure that everybody eats, and everybody understands how they can eat." - Isiah Thomas

"Rondo is a basketball savant." - Baron Davis

"Rondo is as smart as a player, and as smart as person that I've ever been around." - Doc Rivers

"Rondo is a student of the game. How he he studies the game. It's something that allows you to learn from. You know you know Rondo sits there and watches film for hours and hours and hours and hours and dissects and picks things apart to the smallest of detail." - Kobe Bryant


"The have a guy like that, you know what his basketball mind is IQ...me and him just clicked; he's always in my ear...and I say that's impossible, and he says, he don't care, 'You're Anthony Davis, you should be able to do it.' He always put pressure on me to do the impossible things." - Anthony Davis

 

[ftp000]

It was misdemeanor charges. But c'mon, weed, gun, and an underage girl? Hardly a "role model". He previously had a protective order against him for threatening to kill a woman.

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

I like Rondo, but his basketball IQ doesn't mean he would kill it on the recruiting trail. He'd be more valuable in practice, lockeroom and bench. That's his value. He's got some baggage that will be tough to dance around.

A guy like Rondo is going to succeed at whatever task you give him.

I agree that he'd be most valuable with his in-game knowledge, but can you imagine him swapping stories on the recruiting trail and namedropping LeBron, Kobe, Davis, Shaq, KG, and his NBA battles?

He's also going to play dirty. I think given the realties of Pope's personality, we're going to need that guy. Pitino's sociopathic nature was balanced by nice guys like Tubby Smith and Jim O'Brien on the other end of the spectrum back in the 90s. Pope's nice guy personality could be balanced the opposite way by adding a sociopath like Rondo.

 

[JoshAllenFan]

The great thing about Rondo is that he's equally as loyal to Kentucky as Pope, and their personalities mix well together when presented collectively to recruits.

They're both basketball geniuses, and they're both former NBA guys who know what it takes to make the league.

I think Rondo knows basketball better than most. Of that I have no doubts. I would like to see Pope with seasoned assistants. We couldn't get Hurley? Fine, go steal all of his assistants.

 

[BlueEmpire]

All of these attributes you assign (correctly) to Rondo, is the product of being the disciple of KG

 

[CrimsonCats]

I don’t quite get the infatuation with Rondo myself. Yes, was a heady player who had otherworldly court vision, but none of that necessarily translates to coaching, and in fact, unusually gifted players often seem to struggle as coaches when they can’t understand how the players can’t see and do they things they did in their own playing days.

Rondo doesn’t have any coaching experience that I’m aware of to test this theory, but it’s especially concerning with him because he has a long history of being a hot head who fought coaches who didn’t see things exactly like he did. He fought with his high school coach. He fought with Tubby. He fought with Doc Rivers and Rick Carlisle once he got to the NBA. It just doesn’t paint the picture of a guy who would be a patient teacher to develop players less gifted than himself. That’s not even getting into the legal issues that would be a major red flag in hiring him. I just don’t see this being a good idea.

 

[JoshAllenFan]

Makes me nervous. I’d prefer not to have a 4-5 year rebuild. I’m old.

With the portal it doesn't need to be. I think he'll go get some older guys from the portal and mix with his transfers from BYU. Then you'll see him pulling some lower ranked kids from high school in the following years that fit his style. What you won't see are any guys that can't dribble or shoot even though the services said they were 5 star recruits like Livingston and the Dragon.

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

All of these attributes you assign (correctly) to Rondo, is the product of being the disciple of KG

Partially true, but KG acknowledged that Rondo had that dog in him before he came to Boston.

"I’ve grown to understand (Rondo). His greatest gift is his greatest curse. We as players try to help him to understand that. Me, more or less, I see a lot of myself in him." - Kevin Garnett on Rondo back at the beginning of Rondo's NBA career.

 

[kywildcatsfannumber1]

If I am a recruit, Rondo would get my attention more if he is sitting in my living room knowing he has been where they are and plan to go if they have NBA aspirations. I look at Duke, their best recruiter is obviously Jai Lucas but Amile Jefferson also recruits well for them too. Having a former player close in age to relate to the players will be huge to add to this staff. However, none of those guys would get me motivated like an NBA Champion and former All-Star like Rondo would. If not him, why not someone like Darius Miller? Several years in the league and gets this place too!

 

[BlueEmpire]

Partially true, but KG acknowledged that Rondo had that dog in him before he came to Boston.

"I’ve grown to understand (Rondo). His greatest gift is his greatest curse. We as players try to help him to understand that. Me, more or less, I see a lot of myself in him." - Kevin Garnett on Rondo back at the beginning of Rondo's NBA career.

Kevin made him a killer, and a good teammate, which he was not initially. Doc Rivers told RR one time, “you know your teammates hate you, right?”

 

[mdlUK.1]

Doesn’t Rondo have to graduate or something before he can be on the staff? I know there is a reason, just not sure what it is.

 

[flacat22]

I don’t which get the infatuation with Rondo myself. Yes, was a heady player who had otherworldly court vision, but none of that necessarily translates to coaching, and in fact, unusually gifted players often seem to struggle as coaches when they can’t understand how the players can’t see and do they things they did in their own playing days.

Rondo doesn’t have any coaching experience that I’m aware of to test this theory, but it’s especially concerning with him because he has a long history of being a hot head who fought coaches who didn’t see things exactly like he did. He fought with his high school coach. He fought with Tubby. He fought with Doc Rivers and Rick Carlisle once he got to the NBA. It just doesn’t paint the picture of a guy who would be a patient teacher to develop players less gifted than himself. That’s not even getting into the legal issues that would be a major red flag in hiring him. I just don’t see this being a good idea.

Great Connect Four player too, not a UK assistant coach. Next..

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

Doesn’t Rondo have to graduate or something before he can be on the staff? I know there is a reason, just not sure what it is.

Yes, Rondo is presently working to finish his degree at Kentucky. He re-enrolled last year.

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

I don’t which get the infatuation with Rondo myself. Yes, was a heady player who had otherworldly court vision, but none of that necessarily translates to coaching, and in fact, unusually gifted players often seem to struggle as coaches when they can’t understand how the players can’t see and do they things they did in their own playing days.

Rondo doesn’t have any coaching experience that I’m aware of to test this theory, but it’s especially concerning with him because he has a long history of being a hot head who fought coaches who didn’t see things exactly like he did. He fought with his high school coach. He fought with Tubby. He fought with Doc Rivers and Rick Carlisle once he got to the NBA. It just doesn’t paint the picture of a guy who would be a patient teacher to develop players less gifted than himself. That’s not even getting into the legal issues that would be a major red flag in hiring him. I just don’t see this being a good idea.

Rondo's mellowed over the years. Vogel spoke highly of him and even said they collaborated quite a bit. Stevens also said he had conversations with Rondo about competitive strategy.

It really would be as simple as whether or not Pope and Rondo could work together, like any coaching relationship. If it didn't work, you send him packing after a year. But if it did work, you might be looking at the most influential assistant coach in America.

Gotta ask if the potential risk is worth the potential reward, and I'd say yes because the risk is relatively small.

The potential reward is also that you get the only assistant coach in America that Shaq, Kobe, LeBron, Wade, KG, Pierce, and Davis all either wanted to play with or all sought out advice from.

Think about and stack that against whatever Hurley or Scheyer's assistants can pitch in a recruit's living room.

Think about what he could offer in terms of convincing Cal's former players that this thing can include and involve their participation going forward.

Some of you need to dream bigger.

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

I don’t quite get the infatuation with Rondo myself. Yes, was a heady player who had otherworldly court vision, but none of that necessarily translates to coaching, and in fact, unusually gifted players often seem to struggle as coaches when they can’t understand how the players can’t see and do they things they did in their own playing days.

Rondo doesn’t have any coaching experience that I’m aware of to test this theory, but it’s especially concerning with him because he has a long history of being a hot head who fought coaches who didn’t see things exactly like he did. He fought with his high school coach. He fought with Tubby. He fought with Doc Rivers and Rick Carlisle once he got to the NBA. It just doesn’t paint the picture of a guy who would be a patient teacher to develop players less gifted than himself. That’s not even getting into the legal issues that would be a major red flag in hiring him. I just don’t see this being a good idea.

Hurley and Self's assistant coaches in a living room:
"Hey, we've got a really good scheme for you, developed by a head coach who was never good enough to play in the NBA."

Rondo: "I remember the couple of times Kobe sought advice from me. Reminds me of the time LeBron called me the smartest player he ever played with. Kind of reminiscent of that time I convinced Davis and Shaq to player harder. Oh, by the way, I'm having dinner with John Wall and Cousins next week, followed by dinner plans with KG the next weekend. Would you want to join us for either event? We'd like to break down your game and show you how you can improve."

 

[true blue1]

I

And currently a convicted felon with pending gun charges..........UK is not a, "win at any cost program:........

I had forgot about that. I had mentioned about Derrick Anderson being an Assistant but he had a run in with the law as well.

 

[Deli owl]

I always heard on TV during games he was a bit of a cancer in the locker room. Never seemed to have a smile on his face ever.