Rajon Rondo's daughter will play college volleyball in the SEC

Rajon Rondo, a four-time NBA All-Star and two-time NBA champion, officially retired from basketball back in April, noting that he wanted to spend more time with his children. He’ll use some of that time to make plenty of trips to Tuscaloosa over the next four years.

On Wednesday, Rondo’s daughter, Ryelle, officially signed with the Alabama Crimson Tide to play volleyball. Currently in her senior year of high school at Kentucky Country Day in Louisville, Ryelle is one of three incoming freshmen for the Tide’s volleyball program heading into the 2025 season. At 5-foot-7, she’s listed as a libero/defensive specialist.

“If I was going to be away from my family, I wanted to go to a place that felt like home and Alabama just feels like home,” Ryelle said in Alabama’s press release. “From the students to the community and the coaches, everything felt like family from the moment I set foot in T-Town. Plus, Alabama is where legends are made…so of course I belong here!”

She's rolling with the Tide!🌊Welcome home Ryelle!#NationalSigningDay #RollTide pic.twitter.com/bcUyuGpM7D

— Alabama Volleyball (@AlabamaVBall) November 13, 2024

Ryelle has racked up plenty of individual awards during her high school career, which led to her commitment to Alabama back in April.

• All-District MVP (2024)
• All A Classic MVP (2024)
• All-Stars Nominee (2023)
• Coaches Award (2023)
• All-A MVP (2022)
• Under Armour Next Athlete

There’s now a very good chance we see Rajon roaming the Memorial Coliseum gym in the coming years as he cheers on his daughter from the sideline. Alabama and Kentucky have played each other at least once every season since 1994. Those matchups usually don’t favor the Tide though. UK has won 16 straight matches in this series and leads the overall head-to-head battle with a 37-14 record. After getting swept back in October, Alabama (along with Ryelle) will come to Lexington in 2025.