Former UK basketball star point guard graduating in Lexington
Former Kentucky men’s basketball star Rajon Rondo will once again have his name called in Rupp Arena this weekend, but it won’t be for his basketball achievements.
The four-time NBA all-star will graduate this weekend after completing his undergraduate work through UK Athletics’ Post-Eligibility program. Rondo graduated with a bachelor’s degree in communication, said UK Athletics spokesperson Deb Moore.
The UK program awards Cawood Ledford Scholarships to student-athletes who return to school after completing their eligibility. The program has produced 160 graduates since it began in 1989, according to UK Athletics.
Six other former Wildcats are scheduled to graduate through the program: Austin Schultz, Chase Estep and Mason Moore from UK’s baseball program, Chris Westry from football, Justin Swann from men’s track and field and Riley O’Neill from men’s soccer.
UK graduation ceremonies will be held Friday and Saturday at UK, but it was not immediately clear which one would include Rondo.
Rondo had a prolific college and NBA career, winning two NBA championships with the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers. He played 16 years in the NBA and led the league in assists three times.
As a Wildcat, the Louisville native helped UK win an SEC championship as a freshman in 2005 and was named second-team All-SEC as a sophomore. He still holds UK’s single-season record for steals with 87.
Rondo was a first-round draft pick of the Phoenix Suns in 2006. He was traded to the Celtics and quickly became a contributor in Boston.
Rondo was also a part of UK Athletics’ Hall of Fame class in 2023.
UK Athletics’ graduating class
A total of 116 current and former UK student-athletes are scheduled to graduate this weekend or in the summer term. Included in the graduates are 14 student-athletes who have completed their master’s degrees.
“We’re proud of another strong class of student-athletes earning bachelor’s and graduate degrees,” UK Director of Athletics Mitch Barnhart said in a news release. “In this era of increased movement of athletes from school to school, it can be more challenging to complete degree requirements, and I’m grateful for the diligence of our students, the support of the coaches and the guidance of the CATS (Center for Academic and Tutorial Services) staff in getting to the academic finish line.”
UK recently tied the school record for its NCAA Graduation Success Rate of 92%, slightly above the national average of 90%, according to UK Athletics. UK student-athletes also combined to post a GPA of 3.405 in the fall 2024 semester, marking the department’s 25th straight semester with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.
This story was originally published May 9, 2025 at 7:55 AM.
