As Part of ACL Rehab, Rondo Open to D-League Play

Like Derrick Rose, Rajon Rondo is experiencing a range of emotions since tearing his ACL almost 12 months ago

Like Derrick Rose, Rajon Rondo is going through the painfully slow process of returning to the NBA after an ACL tear. The Boston Celtics point guard has said he’s close to returning and feels better physically but isn’t quite where he needs to be in order to take the court in a regulation contest.

But in a notion unheard of for a superstar player of his ilk, Rondo said he’d be open to playing in the D-League as part of his rehab process -- an option that was never on the table when Rose was undergoing his rehab.

“I mean, that’s an idea, definitely. That’s more game-like speed,” Rondo said. “With our schedule, the Celtics, there’s not a lot of chances to play a lot of pickup, so that might be a possibility.”

Rondo tore his ACL nearly 12 months ago in a game against the Atlanta Hawks and had surgery to repair it on Valentines Day. And like Rose, he admitted to some days being better than others when it comes to his rehab and trying to regain his previous form.

“It’s frustrating. It’s rough, but I just pretty much stay positive. A lot of things that you go through, it’s just how you handle it,” he said. “A lot of adversity, but staying positive, I have a lot of supportive people around me that’s helped me through this time.”

And as for the D-League, well, don’t be surprised if you see Rondo wearing a Maine Red Claws – the Celtics affiliate – uniform without any warning or notice.

“I might pop up and play. You guys [the Boston media] won’t get the memo. You’ll just have to catch me. But I don’t know. It’ll be like an overnight decision … I’ll probably be the first [marquee] guy to do that. But that doesn’t make a difference. I just want to make sure I’m healthy and handle it the right way.”

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