TMZSports.com
Officers clearly recognized who they were apprehending when they placed the handcuffs on Rajon Rondo earlier this year… as police body camera recordings, acquired by TMZ Sports, reveal that officers discussed the athlete’s NBA journey immediately after pulling him over.
The incident, as previously noted, transpired on January 28 in Jackson County, Indiana… after officials claimed that Rondo’s black Tesla was lacking a properly affixed license plate on its rear.
The footage displays that, after initially conversing with Rondo to gather his information… officers returned to their vehicle and chatted briefly about the former Celtics guard’s career on the court.
“He’s an ex-basketball player,” one of the officers is heard mentioning in the footage. “He played for several NBA teams.”
It’s relevant to mention… the officer added, “Not that it matters, I’m just stating the fact.”
Later in the encounter, one of the officers present actually confronted Rondo about his NBA experience—directly asking him, “You played in the NBA, didn’t you, buddy?”
Upon Rondo confirming it and sharing the duration of his career, the officer reacted with, “Wow!”
Sadly for Rondo, his notoriety didn’t offer much aid during his encounter with law enforcement… as he was still taken into custody by the officers after they reported discovering a small quantity of marijuana, drug paraphernalia, and a firearm in his vehicle.
The 38-year-old four-time All-Star, who last took the court during the 2021-22 season, faced three charges stemming from the incident… however, back in September, he struck a plea agreement with the prosecutors to resolve the matter.
Rondo consented to plead guilty to a misdemeanor charge of improperly carrying a handgun… in return, authorities dismissed the two other charges he was facing. He received a sentence of 180 days in jail… yet the punishment was suspended, allowing him to serve time under probation if he stays clear of further issues.