NESN

Rajon Rondo Organized Celtics Practices in Los Angeles ‘Four or Five Hours a Day’ During Summer

Rajon Rondo emerged last season as the Celtics' best player, and this summer he apparently embraced the leadership responsibilities that come with that title.

The Celtics point guard organized a trip to Los Angeles with several teammates to work out at UCLA, Celtics coach Doc Rivers told Jackie MacMullan of ESPNBoston. The "spirited" practices were Rondo's idea, although Rivers gave his blessing.

From ESPNBoston:

"Rondo has been great, just terrific this summer," Rivers said. "He reached out to all the players and got every single one of them to fly to L.A. and practice together. They put in about four or five hours a day. Paul [Pierce] and [Kevin Garnett] were already out there, but Rondo got Jason [Terry] and Courtney Lee and all the other guys on board too.

"He called and asked me what I thought of the idea. I loved it, especially because it was him that organized it."

The spirited practices at UCLA were useful not only because of all the new faces. They gave the players a chance to spend some time together away from Boston and reestablish some camaraderie.

Rondo's relationships with his teammates have reportedly been spotty over the years, with some blaming Ray Allen's departure to Miami this summer on a personality clash with the point guard. With another long trip planned for the preseason, when the Celtics will spend training camp in Turkey and Italy, the players will have had plenty of time to develop positive chemistry.

Photo via Facebook/Boston Celtics