Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo started as close friends. When Allen got traded to the Celtics, he became a mentor for the young Rondo, and that relationship was one of many elements that made that Boston team a champion in 2008.
But Allen cares very much about controlling his own fate, and as Rondo’s somewhat difficult personality emerged, so did some rumors of trades that involved not just him, but his friend Allen. That thorny connection caused a close friendship to devolve, sometimes with explosive results.
But what really turned this “brotherhood” into beef was Allen’s departure in 2012 for the Miami Heat, the team that had twice prevented Boston from winning another title. Allen’s “betrayal” alienated from all of his former teammates, a development that came back under scrutiny as the ‘08 Celtics started to get honors and commemorative ceremonies in recent years, then again when Allen released his autobiography.
This is a story about how any bond — even one gilded with championship gold — can be broken.