UNCASVILLE, CT - Doc Rivers isn’t waiting long to make his Hall of Fame case for Rajon Rondo.
On the eve of this year’s Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame ceremony, the Class of 2026 inductee said Rondo is the first name that jumps out when he thinks about who belongs in Springfield, MA. Rivers also pointed to Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle as a coach he believes deserves enshrinement, and he mentioned Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr in that same conversation.
Doc Rivers says Marcus Johnson and Rajon Rondo belong in the Basketball Hall of Fame: “Rondo’s going to be in it. But Rondo comes to mind right away.
— Josue Pavón (@Joe_Sway) August 14, 2026
I’m assuming Rondo’s going to be in… coaching-wise, Rick Carlisle should be next” pic.twitter.com/kDl0eA0Spe
“Rondo’s going to be in it. But Rondo comes to mind right away.
I’m assuming Rondo’s going to be in. I'm saying that,” Rivers said.
“The reason why Rondo's not in is because every two years he goes back and plays another month. And then, they have to start the process back over again.
I honestly think, coaching-wise, Rick Carlisle should be next.”
Rivers also brought up Marcus Johnson, a five-time All-Star who played 11 seasons between 1977 and 1990, as another player he believes should be considered.
Rondo, who last played for the Cleveland Cavs in 2021-22, entered his first year of Hall of Fame eligibility in 2026. His résumé includes two championships, in 2008 and 2020, four All-Star selections and three assists titles across a 16-year NBA career.
Rivers coached Rondo and the Boston Celtics to the Hall of Fame coach’s lone NBA title in 2008, then watched Rondo help the Los Angeles Lakers win their last championship in 2020.
Carlisle brings 1,000 career regular-season wins and a coaching resume that includes Coach of the Year honors with the Detroit Pistons in 2002 and a championship run with the Dallas Mavericks in 2011.
Rivers was named to the Class of 2026 one month before announcing his retirement after his final season with the Milwaukee Bucks in April.
In Other News...
Pacers Have One East Matchup Fans Should Already Be Worried About
The Pacers spent the offseason looking like a team built to make life uncomfortable for Eastern Conference opponents, but there is already one matchup that stands out as a problem for Indiana. Torontos combination of size and versatility gives the Pacers a different kind of test than the pace-and-space games they usually want, especially when a roster can throw multiple long defenders and playmakers at them without changing its identity.
Kawhi Leonard remains the kind of wing presence that can tilt a series, and Scottie Barnes adds another layer of length and flexibility that complicates Indianas preferred looks on both ends. Detroit and Philadelphia also belong in the conversation as possible playoff hurdles, but Toronto feels like the team that most clearly forces the Pacers into uncomfortable decisions, which is exactly why it is already on the short list of matchups to watch. [Read more 🡒]
Tyrese Haliburton Was Shocked By How His Pacers Return Begins
Tyrese Haliburtons long road back to the Pacers is finally pointing toward a real game again, with his return to NBA action set for the 2026-27 season opener after he sat out the entire 2025-26 campaign recovering from a ruptured right Achilles tendon suffered in the 2025 NBA Finals. For Indiana, it marks the end of a difficult stretch without its franchise guard, and the start of a new season that will be watched closely from the first night.
What caught Haliburton off guard was the stage of the comeback itself. He expected the return to come at home or on national television, but instead it will begin away from Gainbridge Fieldhouse, an opening-night assignment that puts the spotlight on a player who has spent more than a year waiting for this moment. [Read more 🡒]