These two excerpts standout the most to me. The first speaks for Rondo, the second for Rose.
From a physical standpoint, Rondo once again has the edge. Both players possess awesome explosiveness, with Rose being the better leaper of the two. However Rondo’s incredible wingspan and large hands allow him to play much bigger than his size. Because of this, the difference in sheer athleticism between the two isn’t as far apart as one would be inclined to think. Specifically, Rondo is a terrific perimeter defender and rebounder thanks in large part to his 6-foot-10-inch wingspan. Moreover, his ability to finish at the rim is aided by his freakishly large hands (reportedly the largest hands the Celtics current training staff has ever measured), which enable him to palm the ball off the dribble, absorb contact, and maintain ball control while elevating to the cup.
In sum, Rondo’s talents cover the entire scope and possibilities of the game. He can do almost everything at the highest level — rebound, pass, dribble, and shut anyone down on defense. I’ll concede that Rose will likely become a better scorer. However let’s not lose sight of the fact that Rondo and Rose are point guards. Teams rarely win championships when their go-to scorers are under 6-foot-6.
Though quiet at this stage in his career and naturally shy, Rose brings a quiet confidence and calm to the floor, with the full trust of his teammates. He doesn’t have any of the same extroverted characteristics as a Magic Johnson or Gary Payton, but has the reserved likability of a Kidd. From the minute Rose stepped onto the floor of the Berto Center, the Bulls have been his team and all plans revolve chiefly around him.
Rondo has been and continues to be the little brother of a team of All-Stars. He seems to be more tolerated than well-liked by his teammates and by the time KG, Pierce and Allen are gone, Rondo will be an untested leader at the age of 25 or 26.
http://www.realgm.com/src_feature_piece ... nt_guards/
Tough. It's easy to view Rose as a potential franchise point guard, a player you build around. Whereas, you tend to view Rondo as that "perfect" complement to Pierce, Garnett and Ray. He's the ideal fit for what the team needs from his position. Seldom would one think of Rondo as a star as oppose to an obvious All-Star. There's a difference... Rondo's a star on the Celtics, but I tend to believe stars are also decided by how everyone views you outside of your home fan base. It isn't enough to simply have it.
Personally, I think it's unfair to judge Rondo unfavorably when you consider players such as Rose and those mentioned in the article were prominent fixtures in the starting lineup early on. Rondo had to work harder to get where he's today as a starter.
Who would I begin a team with? I've to say Rose. Because a lot more is expected from your point guard today than in yesteryears. In a league that is popularized by scoring, I begrudgingly have to agree. If you can become a dominant scorer or "take over" when need be. You'll be thought of as an important player on your team. Point guards such as Paul, D. Williams, Arenas, Billups, D. Harris, Rose and T. Parker come to mind. Conversely, I don't see this natural inclination in Rondo. He's capable of trying to do so whenever the team is in dire need of him to or for anyone to step up if the All-Star veterans are struggling. But due to his selflessness as a point guard, he isn't apt to initiate that second level instantaneously. I like Rondo for the player he is. But I can't help but to wonder if he's capable of silencing his critics if he were the top option on a young roster or what have you.
They're just taking stance.
