Former Celtics champion is coaching rival one year after helping Boston

Before last season started, Joe Mazzulla wanted to help the Boston Celtics reconnect with the organization’s historical roots. He invited a bunch of former players to training camp, including the likes of Paul Pierce, Eddie House, and Satch Sanders. Mazzulla’s goal was to make sure his team remembered the history they were playing for.

Obviously, things worked out in the end. The Celtics went on to win the 2024 NBA Championship, cementing themselves in league history forever. Another one of the guys who helped out was Rajon Rondo, but now, he’s moved on to other places—in the same conference as the Celtics.

A rival.

Rajon Rondo joins Bucks for training camp

Rondo is reportedly helping the Milwaukee Bucks during training camp as a guest coach, as Doc Rivers invited him. Rivers coached Rondo in Boston during the Celtics’ 2008 title run and is now the head coach in Milwaukee.

At Rondo’s wedding over the summer, Rivers had a simple message to his former point guard.

"Get your a** to camp," Rivers said via ESPN, as remembered by Rondo.

And from the sound of things, Rondo is going to be very present throughout Milwaukee’s training camp.

"You'll see him a lot," Rivers said. "That's all I'll say."

Rondo is a four-time All-Star, a four-time All-Defensive player, and a two-time NBA Champion. The Bucks are hoping to bounce back from two straight early playoff exits.

Rivers took over the head coaching job in Milwaukee midway through last season after the Bucks parted ways with Adrian Griffin, who they had just hired the previous summer.

Now, Rivers is thrilled to have Rondo in town to help prepare Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard, and the rest of the squad for the upcoming season.

"He's the smartest player I've ever coached -- and not just smart," Rivers said. "He knows when to and when not to say stuff. He's a great team builder. It's just fun, and it's great to have him around."

But that wasn’t where Rivers’ praise ended.

"The difference, I think, with Rondo is he sees everything," Rivers said. "He doesn't just see his position, he sees everybody's position. He knows everybody's plays. I'm telling you, he's a savant. He's the only one I've coached—and I've coached some really smart players—but Rondo's understanding of sets, his job, what this guy should be doing, and doing the right stuff, is unbelievable. And he sees it early. That's why our relationship is so good. 

“And it was bad early because he is so smart. It turned into an amazing relationship because he's the only player I used to give my play sheet to before games. It's the only time I would finish games where I would say he called a great game, because that was him from my play sheet, like a catcher."

Just one year after helping the Celtics at the beginning of their championship quest, Rondo is now in Milwaukee.