Early Friday morning, Big Blue Nation received great news for the future. Jack Pilgrim from Kentucky Sports Radio broke that former Wildcat, Kentucky-native, and NBA Star Rajon Rondo plans to join the Kentucky Coaching Staff in 2023-24.
NEW: Rajon Rondo working toward joining Kentucky coaching staff in 2023-24, sources tell KSRhttps://t.co/Kg7fUPfFo9
— Jack Pilgrim (@JackPilgrimKSR) February 3, 2023
Weโve known for a few weeks now that Rondo has been back on campus in Lexington. He has plans to finish his degree, which he started back in 2004 before leaving for the NBA after his sophomore season.
A familiar face is back on campus in Lexington for 2023 ๐ @RajonRondo
(via: IG @rexfarmer) pic.twitter.com/BhavzlenyI
— Blue Chips (@UKBlueChips) January 10, 2023
Earlier this year, John Calipari made the decision to bring former star point guard Tyler Ulis back to the program as an assistant. Ulis has been very animated and taken a significant role in practice and even more so on the sideline during games.
This is everything ๐pic.twitter.com/iXuIntYIw0
— Blue Chips (@UKBlueChips) January 14, 2023
Thus far, Cal has loved the decision to bring on Tyler โ so much that he wants to go further with the former-player-to-assistant-method by bringing Rondo on staff for next season. Despite not playing for Calipari during his time at Kentucky, the legacy #4 left in Lexington is one that is heralded by the Kentucky fanbase.
Rondo was SPECIAL in Lexington ๐ฅ pic.twitter.com/B29CR06n6b
— Blue Chips (@UKBlueChips) February 3, 2023
With the recruiting class that is coming to Kentucky next season โ specifically the dynamic guard tandem of DJ Wagner and Robert Dillingham โ you could not have a better duo of coaches than Ulis and Rondo to mentor, teach, and lead a pair of young, highly-talented freshmen.
There is not a team in the country with a better duo of assistants for their guards than Kentucky๐ฅ
Rajon Rondo
๐น 2x NBA Champ
๐น 4x All-Star
๐น 3x NBA AST Champ
๐น 1x NBA STL Champ
๐น 4x All-DefenseTyler Ulis
๐น Consensus 1st-Team AA
๐น Bob Cousy Award
๐น SEC POY
๐น SEC DPOY pic.twitter.com/QhEDmf5rVT— Blue Chips (@UKBlueChips) February 3, 2023
Pilgrim emphasizes that it is still very early in the process. We hope that everything is able to work out between Cal, Rondo, and UK. The more Wildcat Legends we can have on the sideline the merrier!