Report: Rajon Rondo working to join Kentucky's coaching staff next season

Over the two seasons of his Kentucky career, Rajon Rondo made a name for himself. Now, after a 16-year NBA career where he played just under a thousand games, Rondo is back in school and is reportedly looking at making quite the career shift.

Many had reported that Rondo was back in Lexington to take classes at UK this semester. However, per a new story from Jack Pilgrim at KSR this morning, it appears it goes deeper than that. From what sources said to him, there’s mutual interest in Rondo joining the Kentucky staff as a student assistant for the 2023-2024 season.

“The 16-year NBA veteran, known as one of the most gifted basketball minds in the sport, must be considered a full-time student with at least 12 active credit hours to be eligible for the role. That process has already begun, with Rondo taking classes at UK as he works toward his degree,” wrote Pilgrim. “It’s still early in the process, but his time around the team and on campus is not a coincidence. There is mutual interest in a pairing for the 2023-24 season.”

Rondo wouldn’t be the only former Wildcat to serve in this capacity. Tyler Ulis, one of John Calipari’s best guards at Kentucky, is already on this season’s staff in the same role.

If this were to happen, Rondo could offer a ton of knowledge to the Wildcat backcourt. In college, he averaged 9.6 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 2.1 steals in 68 career games. From there, he was a first-round pick in the 2006 NBA Draft. He then spent the next decade and a half playing for nine NBA teams. Rondo made four All-Star teams, won two championships, and finished Top-15 all-time in total assists during that pro career.

This would be a fascinating move by Calipari considering he already has Ulis on the bench as well. Still, it couldn’t hurt to add yet another skilled and cerebral former player like Rondo for his prospects to follow along with.