Internship is a system of on-the-job training for white-collar and professional careers.^[1][2] Internships for professional careers are similar to apprenticeships for trade and vocational jobs. Although interns are typically college or university students, they can also be high school students or post-graduate adults. Rarely, they can even be middle school or in some cases elementary students.

Generally, the internship works as an exchange of services for experience between the student and his or her employer. Students exchange their cheap or free labor to gain experience in a particular field. They can also use an internship to determine if they have an interest in a particular career, create a network of contacts, or gain school credit. Some interns also find permanent, paid employment with the companies in which they interned. Thus, employers also benefit as experienced interns need little or no training when they begin full-time regular employment.

Types of internships[link]

Internships exist in a wide variety of various industries and settings. An internship may be paid, unpaid or partially paid (in the form of a stipend). Paid internships are common in professional fields including medical, architecture, science, engineering, law, business (especially accounting and finance), technology and advertising fields. Non-profit charities and think tanks have unpaid, volunteer positions. Internships may be part-time or full-time - typically they are part-time during the university year and full-time in the summer. They usually last 6–12 weeks, but can be shorter or longer, depending on the company involved. The act of job shadowing may also constitute interning.

The two primary types of internships that exist in the United States are:

• Work experience internship: Most often this will be in the second or third year of the school period. The placement can be from 2 months to one full school year. During this period the student is expected to use the things he/she has learned in school and put them into practice. This way the student gains work experience in their field of study. The gained experience will be helpful to finish the final year of study.
• Research internship (graduation) or dissertation internship: This is mostly done by students who are in their final year. With this kind of internship a student does research for a particular company. The company can have something that they feel like they need to improve, or the student can choose a topic within the company themselves. The results of the research study will be put in a report and often will have to be presented. Due to strict labor laws, European internships are mostly unpaid, although they are still popular among non-Europeans in order to gain international exposure on one's résumé and for foreign language improvement.

1. An additional type of internship growing in popularity is the virtual internship, in which the intern works remotely, and is not physically present at the job location. It provides the capacity to attain the same results without the conventional means of being physically present at a job. Usually the internship is conducted via virtual means, such as phone, email, and web communication. Virtual interns generally have the opportunity to work at their own pace.^[3]

The practice of a mid-career person taking an internship (see Returnship) is relatively new to the U.S. but becoming more common due to the current economic crisis.^[4]

[edit] Fees for internship and charity auctions

Some companies now find and place students in mostly unpaid internships for a fee.^[5] These companies charge to assist with a search, promising to refund their fees if no internship is found.^[6] These programs vary, but they claim to provide internship placements at reputable companies, provide controlled housing in a new city, mentorship and support throughout the summer, networking, weekend activities in some programs, and sometimes academic credit.^[7]

Another form of paying for internships is through charity auctions. A company with an internship will select a charity who will obtain an internship position funded by the auction. In some cases, companies have created internships simply to help a charity. ^[5]

Some claim that fee-based programs and charity auctions restrict internship opportunities to students in wealthier families. ^[7] These companies respond that "the average student comes from the middle class, and their parents "dig deep" to pay for it." Some companies specifically fund scholarships and grants for low-income applicants.

Critics of internships also decry the practice of requiring certain college credits to be obtained only through unpaid internships. Depending on the cost of the school, this is often seen as an unethical practice, as it requires students to exchange paid-for and often limited tuition credits in order to work an uncompensated job. Even if the school does not require credit for an internship, companies offering the internship often pressure colleges to give college credit so interns cannot complain that they receive nothing for their efforts.

Internships by region[link]

Internship laws and practices vary widely from country to country, and region to region.

Asia and Australia[link]

Australia[link]

Internships in Australia are often referred to as "work experience" when undertaken by grammar school students and "industry experience" when undertaken by university students. Some degree programs such as engineering require a minimum amount of industry experience (usually 12 weeks) to attain professional accreditation with industry bodies such as Engineers Australia.

Unpaid internships are legal and allowed for under the Fair Work Act 2009. There are a number of criteria used to determine if the engagement forms a legitimate internship, including:

• benefit to the individual
• commercial gain for the company
• period of placement, and/or
• relationship to a course of study.^[8]

Malaysia[link]

Some courses offered in public universities of Malaysia require the student to attend an industrial training for a period of minimum ten weeks. This includes, for example, engineering, architecture and the like. This period however varies from ten weeks to as long as 6 months.

New Zealand[link]

In New Zealand, there are a number of colleges where students can undertake an internship whilst studying - for example Queenstown Resort College [3]. Students there studying adventure tourism or hospitality management must complete an internship in order to complete their course studies. However most of these internships are paid by the employer.

Europe[link]

Croatia[link]

Internships are possible in Croatia.^[9]

Denmark[link]

Work without pay is inappropriate in Denmark. One way it can be done is as part of a work-trial where a person is tested by the authorities in conjunction with putting the individual back into the workplace.^[10]

It is also common within most Danish universities to place students in "free work" jobs. The company is then compensated and the intern gets welfare during this period. This normally lasts about three months. The Danish Trade Unions monitor this type of work very thoroughly so the hiring of an intern does not result in the loss of a paid job.^[11][12]

In 2008, a new system established by the Department of Education may lower the motivation of students who take time to work for charity.^[13]

European Union[link]

The European Commission operates a sizeable traineeship programme.

France[link]

At French universities, internships are common. In France, these are called a “stage”, and occur during the third or fourth year of studies. The duration of French internships varies from 2 to 6 months. As of January 1st 2012, French labor law requires that all internships of 2 months or longer include minimum pay of 436,05€ per month. In France it is also becoming more popular to perform internships after studies are completed.

Internships in France are also popular for international students. The primary reason international students intern in France is to learn to speak French fluently. French companies greatly appreciate employees who speak multiple languages and thus international opportunities are available.^[14]

Germany[link]

As in most other countries, most students take their internship during the fourth or fifth semester of their degree. In some fields of study it is common to write the final thesis in a company.

Another type of internship has emerged in recent years is the post graduation internship. The difficult situation in the labor market in Germany during the last years has made it hard for people to find the right job, especially for people that have just graduated and lack work experience. Because of this, employees often take internships at their preferred place of employment while earning very little or no pay at all, in the hope of landing a job there in the future. In response, many companies now have policies in place that restrict internship positions to current students.

Italy[link]

Since the Italian University System entered into the Bologna process, an internship experience (commonly referred to by the French term stage) has been made compulsory for almost all those studying for a bachelors or a master's degree (especially in technical, economic or scientific faculties). The goal of this process is to reduce the gap between the companies' demands and the often very theoretical learning offered by Italian universities. However, since the internship is usually made at university as well and since the few companies that accept student interns rarely offer proper training, these internships are generally not a real work experience. Almost all the students therefore have to do a second or a third internship after they are done with their studies, hoping to receive a proper professional training, being hired afterward in the same company or in another company in a close or related business.

Italian internships can last up to 6 months and are renewable for other 6 months. The total period can be up to 12 months. Internships in Italy can be both paid or unpaid. Students internships, especially the ones not involved with the development of a thesis, are usually not paid.

Almost all the graduate internships are paid, but the remuneration is usually extremely low, around 600 euros gross per month (that is about 1/4 of the gross monthly remuneration of an hired young graduate employee) and without benefits other than the lunch and a few paid days for sickness/vacation (so no 13th/14th mensilities, no parental leave etc.)^{[citation needed]}. This poses a big problem for fresh graduates, considering as well that some companies use graduate interns just to save money, making them work for 6 to 12 months without giving them a decent remuneration, without offering them proper training/formation, and without hiring them after the internship even if they showed to be productive, fast-learning and trustworthy. In other words, a significant percentage of Italian graduates, after one or even two years from the end of their studies (in some cases even masters studies), are still searching for a real job, that can offer stability and a decent remuneration. This, together with the long time necessary to graduate in Italy, is part of the reason why graduate Italians leave the family home very late, usually in their early 30s.^{[citation needed]}

Netherlands[link]

In the Netherlands it is also common to perform internships during college^{[citation needed]} which, just like in Belgium and France, is called a stage. Most student internships last between 3 and 9 months^{[citation needed]}. Companies are not obligated to pay the student, so sometimes small companies won't pay anything. The normal internship compensation rate in the Netherlands is around €300 per month^{[citation needed]}, depending on education level and company generosity.

Spain[link]

At Spanish universities, internship during the education period are uncommon. "Real" work experience for students begins only when they are done with their study.

Some Spanish companies are getting more used to having student internships--mostly these are international students from other European countries. Often, students want to learn Spanish. Placement organizations may be needed as Spanish companies are harder to contact directly. The normal stage compensation rate in Spain is around 500€/month. Retribution is regulated in many universities starting from 6€/hr. Given these rates, Spanish employers who do hire interns often may be taking advantage of unpaid interships in order to get free labor.^{[citation needed]}.

United Kingdom[link]

In Great Britain, internships are often referred to as 'sandwich placements'. They are valid work experience and are performed as part of a degree program. University staff give students access to vacancies and students apply direct to employers. Some students opt not to go on a sandwich placement however apply for internships during summer in between years at University. Some universities hold fairs and exhibitions to encourage students to consider the option and to enable students to meet potential employers.^[15] In the modern labor market, graduates with internship work experience are deemed more desirable to employers. Research has demonstrated they attain higher level degree classifications than those graduates without such experience.^{[citation needed]}

The purpose of these placements is varied. Some university students see it as a way to develop their employability by utilizing the academic elements of their degree in a practical setting. International students may also seek to get understanding about how work is conducted in the English-speaking world and to experience cultural diversity. Organisations such as the Trades Union Congress and Intern Aware have been lobbying for a change in British internships to make interns aware of their employment law rights.^[16][17]

North America[link]

Canada[link]

^[18]

In Canada, high school, college and university student placements are typically referred to as "Co-ops" (co-operative education) programs. University co-op programs are often highly competitive; students must apply to and compete for admission, as enrollment is limited. Partnering employers will post placement opportunities through the university. These positions typically span a four month term taking place either during summer break or during the school year.

While some internships are unpaid (particularly in media, advertising, PR and communications), many Canadian organizations do offer paid internships. Not all internships are entry-level positions; organizations may also offer internships for mid-level professionals. For example, in the province of Ontario, paid internships are available through Career Edge. This is a program for immigrants who have extensive experience in other countries but lack relevant Canadian experience. It is operated by the not-for-profit Career Edge Organization.

The nature and scope of unpaid internships in Canada is difficult to estimate. This is in part because there are no written regulations defining internships directly. Minimum wage for labour is covered by Employment Standards legislation and is governed at the provincial level. In Ontario, a 6-point test is applied to determine if an employee-employer relationship exists.^[19] The test is similar to that used in the United States by the Department of Labor.

United States[link]

Many internships in the United States are career specific. Students often choose internships based on their major at the university/college level. It is not uncommon for former interns to acquire full-time employment at an organization once they have enough necessary experience. The challenging job market has made it essential for college students to gain real world experience prior to graduation. In the US, company internships are at the center of NIGMS funded biotechnology training programs^[20] for science PhD students. One example is the Biotechnology Training Program - University of Virginia.

Not all internships are paid. Nearly all interns working in the United States must be paid, and at least the minimum wage, for their work in accordance with the Fair Labor Standards Act.^[21] Many internships that are unpaid involve receiving college credit, especially if an internship is correlated with a specific class. The U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division allows an employer not to pay a trainee if all of the following are true:^[22]

1. The training, even though it includes actual operation of the facilities of the employer, is similar to what would be given in a vocational school or academic educational instruction;^[22]
2. The training is for the benefit of the trainees;^[22]
3. The trainees do not displace regular employees, but work under their close observation;^[22]
4. The employer that provides the training derives no immediate advantage from the activities of the trainees, and on occasion the employer’s operations may actually be impeded;^[22]
5. The trainees are not necessarily entitled to a job at the conclusion of the training period; and^[22]
6. The employer and the trainees understand that the trainees are not entitled to wages for the time spent in training.^[22]

An exception is allowed for individuals who volunteer their time, freely and without anticipation of compensation for religious, charitable, civic, or humanitarian purposes to non-profit organizations.^[23] An exception is also allowed for work performed for a state or local government agency.^[23]

Some states have their own laws on the subject.^[21] Laws in the state of California, for example, require an employer to pay its interns working in California unless the intern receives college credit for the labor.^[21]

South America[link]

Brazil[link]

Internships in Brazil are known as "estágios" (lit. stages) and internship workers are known as "estagiários". They are regulated by the Lei do Estágio (Law of Internship). This law demands that companies pay a monthly income, although some internships are unpaid. It also requires that companies provide Personal Injury Service. The Lei do Estágio further stipulates a 30-hour limit of hours worked per week, which is normally divided into six hours per day from Monday to Friday. Estagiários have the right to 30 days of paid holiday for each year worked.^[24]

See also[link]

• Apprentice
• Curricular Practical Training (for international students)
• Cooperative education
• Experiential education
• Externship
  • Internship (medicine)
  • Sub-internship
• Mentoring
• Practicum
• Postdoctoral researcher
• Service-learning
• Work experience

References[link]

Rajon Rondo

Rondo with the Celtics playing in a game against the Knicks
No. 9 – Boston Celtics
Point guard
Personal information
Born	(1986-02-22) February 22, 1986 (age 26) Louisville, Kentucky
Nationality	American
High school	Eastern HS (Middletown, Kentucky), Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Virginia)
Listed height	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Listed weight	186 lb (84 kg)
Career information
College	Kentucky
NBA Draft	2006 / Round: 1 / Pick: 21st overall
Selected by the Phoenix Suns
Pro career	2006–present
Career history
2006–present	Boston Celtics
Career highlights and awards
NBA Champion (2008) 3× NBA All-Star (2010–2012) All-NBA Third Team (2012) 2× NBA All-Defensive First Team (2010–2011) 2× NBA All-Defensive Second Team (2009, 2012) NBA All-Rookie Second Team (2007) NBA steals leader (2010) NBA assists leader (2012)

Rajon Pierre Rondo (born February 22, 1986) is an American professional basketball point guard with the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Born in Louisville, Kentucky, Rondo attended Eastern High School and Oak Hill Academy for his high-school basketball career, before receiving a scholarship from the University of Kentucky. He played for two years at Kentucky before declaring for the 2006 NBA Draft, represented by agent Bill Duffy.

During the draft, Rondo was selected 21st overall by the Phoenix Suns, and was subsequently traded to the Boston Celtics, where he made his NBA debut as a rookie during the 2006–07 season. He played a supporting role before he established himself as the starting point guard for the Celtics during the 2007–08 season. That season, Rondo earned his first NBA Championship, playing alongside All-Stars Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce. His breakout performance came during the 2009 NBA Playoffs, where he nearly averaged a triple-double, and helped his team take the eventual Eastern-conference champion Orlando Magic seven games in the Eastern semi-finals.^[1] He ranks eighth in Celtics history in assists and fifth in steals.^[2]

Early life[link]

Rondo was born on February 22, 1986 in Louisville, Kentucky to Amber Rondo.^[3] He has three siblings: Dymon, William and Anton.^[4] He had little contact with his father, who left his family when he was seven years old.^[4] To support the family, his mother worked the third shift at Philip Morris USA, a tobacco company.^[4] Rondo was first interested in football, before his mother steered him towards basketball because she felt that the sport would be less punishing on his skinny frame.^[4] After Rondo became serious about basketball, he attended Louisville's Eastern High School for three years where he played under head coach Doug Bibby. During his junior year at Eastern High School, he averaged 27.9 points, 10.0 rebounds and 7.5 assists which earned him a spot on the All-State honors and was named the 7th Region Player of the Year. He transferred to Virginia's Oak Hill Academy for his senior year where he averaged 21.0 points per game (ppg), 3.0 rebounds per game (rpg) and 12.0 assists per game (apg) and finished the 2003–04 season with a 38–0 record.^[5] In his senior year at Oak Hill Academy, Rondo broke Jeff McInnis's single-season school record of 303 assists, while averaging a double-double. There, he included two efforts of 27 assists and a single-game school record of 31, merely four away from the all-time national record.^[5] He also had a 55 point game in high-school, second highest all-time in Oak Hill Academy, surpassed only by Calvin Duncan with 61.^[6] Rondo was named to the McDonald's All-American Team in 2004 and scored a total of 14 points, 4 assists and 4 rebounds in the all-star game. He also participated in the 2004 Jordan Capital Classic game, logging 12 points, 5 assists and 4 steals. He ended his career as Oak Hill Academy's all-time assists leader in a single season with 494 assists, surpassing Jeff McInnis.^[7]

College career[link]

Rondo committed to University of Kentucky over hometown University of Louisville.^[8] Rondo, along with All-Americans Joe Crawford and Randolph Morris, gave Kentucky the top-rated recruiting class for 2004 according to Rivals.com.^[9] Rondo led Kentucky to several wins including clutch-shot victories against the University of Louisville, South Carolina and Central Florida, but Kentucky failed to advance to the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament in either Rondo's freshman or sophomore seasons. He was named to the SEC All-Freshmen Team.^[10] He set a Kentucky Wildcats record for most steals in single-season, with a total of 87 steals in his freshman year and made at least one steal in every game.^[11] He finished his freshman year at Kentucky averaging 8.1 points, 2.9 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.6 steals.^[12]

In his sophomore year he had a career high 12 assists against Ole Miss, despite playing just 23 minutes, and 25 points against Louisville.^[13] Rondo also set another Kentucky Wildcats record for most rebounds in a game by a guard, with 19 rebounds in an early season loss to Iowa.^[14] He was not known for being a shooter, however, going 18–66 from three with a 57.1% FT average. He averaged 11.2 points, 6.1 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 2.1 steals per game in his sophomore year.^[12] Rondo was also named to the 2005 USA Men's Under-21 World Championship Team, which traveled to Argentina for the FIBA World Championships.^[15] He averaged 11.0 ppg and 4.5 apg in the eight-game tournament, garnering much attention from NBA scouts. The USA U-21 team won a gold medal at the Global Games held in Texas in late July.

NBA career[link]

2006 NBA Draft[link]

Following the 2005–06 NCAA season, Rondo announced he would forgo his final two seasons at Kentucky and enter the NBA draft.^[16] Rondo was drafted 21st overall by the Phoenix Suns in the 2006 NBA Draft. Phoenix then traded him to the Boston Celtics along with Brian Grant for the Cleveland Cavaliers' first-round draft pick in the 2007 NBA Draft and cash considerations.^[17] He was the first point guard to be chosen in the draft.^[18] In another draft-day deal, the Celtics acquired Sebastian Telfair from the Portland Trail Blazers, finally uniting the backcourt Rick Pitino had envisioned at Louisville.^[19] He was signed by the Boston Celtics on July 4, 2006.

Rookie season[link]

During his rookie season in the NBA, Rondo played a supporting role and would split time with Sebastian Telfair and Delonte West. Rondo only started in 25 games that season due to his initial backup role to Telfair. He made his NBA regular season debut on November 1, 2006, in a home loss against the New Orleans Hornets.^[20] In his rookie season, he lacked on his jump shot which resulted in him slashing to the basket for a teardrop or layup. While coming off the bench, he managed to score a career-high 23 points against the Toronto Raptors,^[3] and record his first career double-double in a road losing effort against the Washington Wizards.^[21] In his first career start, he matched his career-high against the Los Angeles Clippers, though the line-ups were constantly being shuffled between Telfair and Rondo at the point guard.^[3] After officially becoming a starter, he began to receive more playing time (career-high forty-seven minutes of playing time)^[3] and show improvement (career-high fourteen rebounds against the San Antonio Spurs,^[22] and a career-high seven steals against the Indiana Pacers).^[3] As the mid-season approached, his numbers began to increase,^[23] which earned him an All-Rookie Second Team selection.^[24] He finished the season with an average of 6.4 ppg and 3.8 apg,^[25] ranking in the top ten in the NBA in steals (128)^[26] and also ranking in the top ten among rookies in several other categories, including first in steals, second in assists and sixth in minutes.^[23] In the end, however, the Celtics finished the season with a 24–58 win-loss record and failed to qualify for the playoffs.

2007–08 season[link]

Rondo in Game 4 of the 2008 NBA Playoffs against the Atlanta Hawks.

After Telfair and West were traded during the offseason of the 2007–08 season, Rondo secured a spot in the starting lineup, starting in every game. Surrounded by All-Stars Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen, he quickly became a steady, consistent player.^[27] In his 77 games played, he averaged 10.6 points per game (ppg), 5.1 assists per game (apg) and 4.2 rebounds per game (rpg).^[25] His role as a playmaker reflected in him leading the team in assists and steals. In a game against the New Jersey Nets, Rondo suffered a lower back injury late in the third quarter, forcing him to miss the next four games.^[28] He made his successful return from injury and to the starting lineup in a road win against the New York Knicks.^[29] A week later, he matched his career-high against the Miami Heat,^[30] and then scored a career-high 24 points in a home game against the Los Angeles Clippers the following month.^[31] During the All-Star break, he was selected to play on the Sophomore Team in the T-Mobile Rookie Challenge and Youth Jam.^[32] Following the All-Star weekend, Rondo recorded a career-high 16 assists in a home victory against the Charlotte Bobcats.^[33] Despite his solid rookie year, there was much speculation about Boston needing a veteran point guard.^[34] In March, they signed veteran point guard Sam Cassell as a free agent to serve as a backup.^[34] The Celtics' best single-season improvement in NBA history earned them the number one seed in the Eastern Conference Playoffs.

Following the regular season, Rondo finished in the top five for the NBA Most Improved Player voting.^[35] Rondo made his playoff debut on April 20, 2008 against the Atlanta Hawks and finished the game with 15 points, 9 assists and 2 steals. The Celtics closed out the series in seven games, went on to defeat Cleveland in the next round, and then defeated the Pistons in the Eastern Conference Finals. In the NBA Finals, facing the Los Angeles Lakers, Rondo recorded two strong performances, including a career-high 16 assists in Game 2. In Game 3, however, Rondo left the court in the third quarter after rolling his ankle.^[36] The ankle injury was considered a "non-factor", and Rondo eventually made his return in Game 4.^[37] In Game 6, the point guard posted a playoffs career-high 6 steals as the Celtics defeated the Lakers 4–2, giving Rondo his first NBA championship ring. After the game Lakers head coach Phil Jackson called Rondo the "star" of Game 6.^[34]

2008–09 season[link]

Rondo with a layup in a game against the New Orleans Hornets.

In his third NBA campaign, the Celtics began the season with the best starting record in NBA history and also set a franchise record with a nineteen-game winning streak.^[38] Rondo's numbers increased from his previous season performance; however, he was criticized for his shooting.^[39] He recorded his first career triple-double along with a career-high in assists (16 points, 13 rebounds and 17 assists), against the Indiana Pacers.^[40] In a home win against the New York Knicks, Rondo led the team to tie a franchise record with eighteen straight wins.^[41] However, after the winning streak was snapped the team struggled, losing seven out of nine games after ending the streak.^[42] Rondo—matched up with one of the league's quicker guards, Tony Parker—recorded 16 assists in a losing effort against the Spurs, one short of his season-high.^[43] Less than a week later against the Mavericks, he recorded his second career triple-double (19 points, 15 rebounds and 14 assists),^[44] and then recorded a career-high 32 points against the Phoenix Suns on his 23rd birthday.^[45] He became the first NBA athlete to sign an endorsement contract with Red Bull on April 17, 2009. He finished the season ranking fifth in the NBA in assists (8.2) and steals (1.9).^[46] The team finished the season as the second seed in the Eastern Conference, although they entered the playoffs without their injured All-Star power forward Kevin Garnett.

In the playoffs match-up against the Chicago Bulls, despite putting up a playoff career-high 29 points in Game 1, the Celtics lost in overtime.^[47] Boston won the next two games and in Games 2 and 4, Rondo recorded triple-doubles^[48] and became the first Celtic player with two triple-doubles in the same series since Larry Bird in 1986. He also became the first player with multiple triple-doubles in the same playoff series since Jason Kidd had three triple-doubles in the 2002 Eastern Conference Finals.^[49] In Game 6, he recorded a career-high 19 assists without a turnover, tying an NBA playoffs record.^[50] In the next round against the Orlando Magic, the Celtics lost the first game before Rondo's triple-double performance in Game 2 helped secure a home win. His third triple-double of the postseason tied Larry Bird's franchise record and also became the first to do that since Jason Kidd had four.^[51] However, the Celtics were defeated in seven games in the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals.^[52] During the postseason, Rondo nearly averaged a triple double with 16.9 points, 9.7 rebounds and 9.8 assists.^[53]

2009–10 season[link]

During the 2009–10 season, Rondo averaged career highs in points (13.7), assists (9.8) and steals (2.3) and became the first Celtic to lead the league in steals.^[54] On November 2, 2009, Rondo signed a five-year extension with the Celtics worth a guaranteed $55 million.^[55] In a road victory against the Orlando Magic on Christmas day, Rondo recorded 17 points, 13 rebounds and 8 assists, two assists shy of a triple double.^[56] Three days later, Rondo scored 30 points along to go with 15 assists in a road loss to the Golden State Warriors.^[57] On January 10, 2010, Rondo recorded his third regular-season career triple-double, with 22 points, 13 assists and 10 rebounds against the Toronto Raptors.^[58] On January 28, 2010, he received his first NBA All-Star selection as a reserve on the Eastern Conference squad for the 2010 NBA All-Star Game.^[59] He also competed in the 2010 H-O-R-S-E contest but lost In the finals to Kevin Durant.^[60] Rondo recorded his fourth regular-season career triple-double against the Denver Nuggets on March 24, 2010, with 11 points, 15 assists and 11 rebounds.^[61] Two days later against the Sacramento Kings, Rondo entered the game tied with Rick Fox for a franchise record of most steals in a single-season (167), eventually establishing the record with a second-quarter steal from Sean May.^[62] In a game against the Houston Rockets on April 2, 2010, he broke Bob Cousy's franchise record for most assists in a single-season.^[63]

In the 2010 NBA Playoffs, the Celtics defeated the Miami Heat in five games and faced the Cleveland Cavaliers in the second round. In Game 2, Rondo dished out 19 assists tying his career-high and also tying a franchise record for most assists in a playoff game.^[64] In Game 4, he recorded his fourth postseason triple-double along with a playoff career-high 29 points and 18 rebounds.^[65] He joined Wilt Chamberlain and Oscar Robertson as the only other player in NBA history to have 29 points, 18 rebounds and 13 assists in a playoff game.^[66] The Celtics eventually defeated the Cavaliers and the Orlando Magic in the Eastern Conference Finals in six games.^[67] In the Finals, the Celtics once again faced the Los Angeles Lakers, a team they previously beat in 2008. In Game 2, Rondo recorded his second triple-double of the postseason (19 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists),^[68] however, despite Rondo's performance, the Celtics succumbed to the Lakers in seven games.^[69]

2010–11 season[link]

In the first game of the 2010–11 season, Rondo put up 17 assists, which tied with Oscar Robertson for the third-most assists in a season opener.^[70] In the third game of the season, he dished out a career-high 24 assists along with a triple-double (10 points and 10 rebounds) against the New York Knicks.^[71] It tied him with Isiah Thomas as the only players in NBA history to have at least 24 assists in a triple-double.^[72] His total of 50 assists through the first three games of the season tied John Stockton's NBA record for most assists in the first 3 games of the season.^[72] In the next game against the Detroit Pistons, he finished the game with 17 assists for a total of 67 assists, which is the most assists in the teams first four games in NBA history.^[73] With a 15 assists effort the following day, Rondo again set a record for most assists through the first five games.^[74]

Rondo's season also began with injuries. He has played through plantar fasciitis in his feet.^[75] He missed three games in November due to a strained left hamstring.^[76] He sprained his left ankle in a win against the New York Knicks on December 15, 2010, and missed the next seven games.^[77] On April 22, in the third game of the first-round playoff series against the New York Knicks, Rondo had a triple-double with 20 assists.^[78] Rondo set a Celtics franchise record for most assists in a playoff game. He was also tied with LeBron James with 6 career triple-double in the playoffs until James had reached his seventh further on in the playoffs during Game 4 of the Finals.^[78][79] Rondo had the third best selling jersey in the league during the 2010-11 season, behind only James and Kobe Bryant.^[80]

2011–12 season[link]

On February 21, 2012, Rondo was named an injury replacement for Joe Johnson on the Eastern Conference roster at the 2012 NBA All-Star Game.^[81] With 18 points, 17 rebounds, and 20 assists against the Knicks on March 4, he joined Wilt Chamberlain, Magic Johnson, and Jason Kidd as the only players to have at least 15 points, rebounds, and assists in the same game.^[82] In a win against the Heat on April 1, Rondo registered another triple-double (16 points, 14 assists and 11 rebounds).^[83] Rondo closed out the regular season with 24 consecutive games of 10+ assists. This is not only a Celtics franchise record, but is also the longest streak the NBA has seen since John Stockton logged a streak of 29 such games in 1992. Only Magic Johnson and Stockton have streaks longer than Rondo's, which is still considered active and will resume at the beginning of the 2012-13 regular season.^[84]

Rondo posted his sixth triple-double of the season (with 20 assists) in an overtime win against the Hawks on April 11.^[85] He had his first triple double of the 2012 playoffs against the same team on May 4,^[86] another on May 13 in the first game of the second round against the 76ers,^[87] and a third on May 26 in the last game of that round, helping the Celtics advance to the Eastern Conference finals.^[88] He joined Larry Bird as the only Celtics players to record a triple-double in a Game 7 and is tied with Wilt Chamberlain for the fourth-most postseason triple-doubles in NBA history.^[89] In Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals, Rondo scored a career high 44 points while grabbing 8 rebounds and adding 10 assists.^[90] According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Rondo is the only player in NBA history with 44 points, 10 assists, and 8 rebounds in a playoff game.^[90]

NBA career statistics[link]

Correct as of end of the 2011-12 regular season^[25]

Regular season[link]

Playoffs[link]

Awards and honors[link]

• 1× NBA Champion: 2008
• 3× NBA All-Star: 2010, 2011, 2012 ^[91]
• 1× All-NBA Team:

• Third Team: 2012

• 4× NBA All-Defensive:

• First Team: 2010, 2011
• Second Team: 2009, 2012

• NBA All-Rookie selection:

• Second team: 2007

• NBA regular season leader:

• 2010: most steals (189), most steals per game (2.3)
• 2012: most assists per game (11.4), most triple-doubles (6)

• NBA postseason leader:

• 2008: most assists (172), most steals (45)
• 2009: most assists (127), most triple-doubles (3)
• 2010: most triple-doubles (2), most steals (46)
• 2011: most triple-doubles (1)
• 2012*: most assists (165), most assists per game (11.8), most triple-doubles (3)

*active series

• Boston Celtics franchise records:

• Most assists in a single season: 794 (2009–10)
• Most steals in a single season: 189 (2009–10)
• Most assists in a playoff game: 20 (2010–11)
• Most assists per game (season): 11.7 (2011-12)
• Most consecutive games with 10+ assists (regular season): 24* (2011-12)

*active streak

See also[link]

• List of National Basketball Association career playoff assists leaders
• List of National Basketball Association players with most assists in a game

Footnotes[link]

External links[link]

• Rajon Rondo at NBA.com
• Rajon Rondo at Basketball-Reference.com
• The Official Site of Rajon Rondo
• YardBarker – Rajon Rondo's Blog
• NBA.com Draft Profile
• Profile at UKAthletics.com
• ESPN.com Player Card
• Rajon Rondo Career Stats
• ESPN.com 2010 NBA Playoffs Feature: "9 Stories on No. 9: The Legend of Rondo"; 06/08/10