Rajon Rondo Was Beat by an Eighth Grader

I don't want to completely disparage Rajon Rondo -- the kid definitely has some upside -- but he's clearly the weakest link in the Celtics' new-look starting five. Why? Quite simply, he can't shoot. Like, at all. From Jackie MacMullen in the Boston Globe:

One day last spring, I was waiting to do a postpractice interview with Pierce, who was receiving treatment in the training room. There were only two players left in the gym: Rondo and Doc Rivers's eighth-grade son, Austin. Rondo, his shirt off, had assistant coach Kevin Eastman feed him the ball for 100 jumpers. With nobody guarding him, Rondo hit 52 of them. Minutes later, Doc's son duplicated the drill -- only he knocked down 70.

A professional basketball player was beat by an eighth-grade kid? Now, I'm guessing Rivers' son inherited a set of stellar shooting genes, but still, he's in eighth grade! But fear not, Celtics fans, Rondo is striving to improve ... kind of:

Shooting is all about two things: confidence and repetition. This summer, Rondo said, he has not allowed himself to quit for the day until he's buried 250-280 jumpers.

Wait, is "250-280 jumpers" supposed to sound impressive? I'm sorry, but it's not, especially with Gilbert Arenas on a mission to make 100,000 jumpers this summer, including 1,500 a day. Rondo is settling for less than a one-fifth of the makes Arenas does each day -- and Arenas is already good! No wonder the team is willing to go after 41-year-old guards who can still shoot -- I wouldn't be surprised if Reggie Miller works on his shot more than Rondo does even two years into retirement.