Polished and professional, a confident Rajon Rondo based his decision to sign with the Bulls on fit.
"All the pieces fit as far as the style of coach I want to play for, the type of organization _ class A _ and then the personnel that you have on the court," Rondo said Thursday at the Advocate Center. "For me as a player, the position I play is the point guard position, to be surrounded by so many great shooters and an offense like coach (Fred) Hoiberg's trying to run, I think it will go well together."
Rondo led the NBA in assists last season at 11.7 per game.
"I think I'm coming off one of my best seasons," he said. "A lot of people didn't see me play out west, in Sacramento, I think we had one TV game. So I think I've had a pretty good year, I was pretty healthy this year. I didn't miss any games as far as injuries."
And while general manager Gar Forman couldn't yet comment on Dwyane Wade's verbal commitment with the Bulls because trades to clear salary cap space aren't official, Rondo could. And he admitted he played a part in helping recruit one of his former rivals, with whom he shares some bad blood history.
"We're older and wiser now," Rondo said, smiling.
Rondo said he doesn't envision issues between him, Wade and Jimmy Butler, three ball-dominant players who aren't great 3-point shooters.
"We have three alphas on the team. The main thing is trying to mesh together and sacrifice and just trying to do what's best for the team," Rondo said. "Sacrifice for one another and whatever we do is for the greater of the team.
"Obviously, I think it's Jimmy's team. Wade ... I don't know how they're going to handle that, but Jimmy's the youngest, he's the engine here. It'll be Jimmy, Wade, and then it will be a pecking order.
"What makes me confident is what I've been through, what I've seen, what I've witnessed. And I think everything in life you go through is for a reason. For me, playing in Boston, playing with the big three, I was able to see how those guys interacted with one another. Knowing that everything doesn't have to be perfect in practice. You're going to disagree, but if you all have one common goal at the end of the day and that's to get a W, that's all that matters. Egos go out the window and we all have one common goal."
Rondo also addressed his perception as a player who has run-ins with coaches directly.
"My first nine years in Boston, Doc (Rivers) and I had a great relationship, where at times he wanted to call a certain play and we did that, and there was times when he gave me a lot of freedom and allowed me to grow into the player I am today," Rondo said. "Me personally, I don't lose sleep over what people say about me, what the perception is about me. I know who I am. The people around me, my loved ones, they know who I am as a person. I know I'm a great person."
