Dynamic in Dallas: Tyler Seguin and Rajon Rondo Are Taking Over in Texas

By stepping back, Rondo is poised to take a step forward in Dallas. AP

By Jon Mael

January 20, 2015

6 minutes to read

The first thing you notice when visiting Dallas is how new everything is: from big hospitals and gleaming housing developments, to innovative frozen yogurt joints. Its industries are booming, and the state is leading the nation in population growth.

The region itself isn’t the only thing changing: the Stars and Mavericks are undergoing transformations of their own on the backs of two of Boston’s former stars.

On a recent visit to Dallas, I searched for signs of Tyler Seguin and Rajon Rondo, the former traded 15 months ago and the latter in December. It immediately became apparent that they’ve flourished in their new homes. They aren’t the same players who left Boston amid questions of “what could have been?’’

Seguin, alongside Rich Peverley, was dealt from the Bruins to the Stars on July 4, 2013 for Loui Eriksson, Matt Fraser, Reilly Smith, and Joe Morrow. He was emerging as a force at the time, with 29 goals in 2011-12. Seguin was an immensely talented kid who provided a spark and helped propel Boston to a Stanley Cup, but if you asked someone on the street in 2012 to name a Bruin, he may have been the fourth or fifth name given, behind mainstays like Zdeno Chara, Tim Thomas, and Patrice Bergeron.

Seguin’s talent was never a question, but his maturity was. His partying made as many headlines as his on-ice play. The team held him out of a game in 2011 after he overslept and missed a meeting. His sometimes inappropriate tweets landed him in hot water as well.

Now fast forward to December 26, and those questions have faded away. Seguin was on full display at the Stonebriar Mall in Frisco, Texas. Kids were wearing his gear everywhere, his face appearing on numerous signs and billboards. He has been a model citizen off the ice since the trade. The Stars don’t have a massive following in the football-crazy area, but they have a devoted fanbase energized by a new ownership group. It’s obvious how Seguin, now 22, takes a back seat to no one, and with a league-leading 28 goals already this season, Stars fans have reason to buy his sweater and wear it proudly.

Seguin has gone from an up-and-comer in Boston to a bonafide superstar in Dallas. According to Dallas-area morning drive legend Norm Hitzges, Seguin’s acquisition was almost too good to be true.

“When I first saw Seguin, I couldn’t imagine a team trading a player that good, that young,’’ Hitzges said. “In Boston, it was a combination of the money pinch they were in and I think a perception like ‘I don’t know if this knucklehead will ever really get it.’ I think this is going to be looked at as a significant mistake in Bruins history.’’

Hitzges said the local fans knew there was a possibility Seguin would continue to struggle, but the potential of having a young franchise player was something everyone was excited about.

“It was viewed as a chance, but what’s the risk reward here?’’ Hitzges said. “The risk is he’s a knucklehead, the reward is he’s a star.’’

Hitzges also pointed out how left wing Jamie Benn’s emergence coincided perfectly with Seguin’s arrival, giving the Stars two very productive players locked up long term. The franchise’s future is bright.

Elsewhere in Dallas, you get a sense that the Mavericks are preparing for a run at a second NBA title. Rajon Rondo prompted that optimism when he was dealt to the Mavs on Dec. 18 for Jameer Nelson, Brendan Wright, Jae Crowder and a first round pick.

Hitzges explained how Rondo was seen as the missing piece to elevate a good team to a championship level.

“Of the contenders, we had the worst point guard situation in the league,’’ Hitzges said. “We were getting little out of Jameer Nelson. We played a game with him at the point where he logged 27 minutes with no assists. That’s hard on a team as offensively talented as the Mavericks.’’

Hitzges is convinced Rondo, with his pass-first mentality and defensive prowess, is the answer to Dallas’s point guard woes. He, like other fans, had heard stories about Rondo’s periods of disinterest during his time in Boston, but stressed how great a presence he’s been so far.

“The papers are full of stories like ‘the last one to leave the gym yesterday was Rajon Rondo’ and ‘Rondo stayed late with this guy and that guy working on his game’ and ‘Rajon Rondo was in before practice working on this or that,’’’ Hitzges said. “I’m amazed with the player that arrived, but I can understand it because for a guy who started on a championship team as a kid, it can be pretty depressing being a part of one of the awful franchises in the league (…) I think your mood changes when you go to a team this good. It brightens a player’s outlook a lot.’’

While I couldn’t find Seguin (the NHL was on their Christmas break at the time), finding Rondo was easy. The Mavericks were hosting the Lakers December 26, so I headed to the American Airlines Center.

Immediately, I noticed how quickly the Mavericks incorporated their new star. Rondo shirts were already piled high at the team store and his face was on the promotional posters that adorned every seat. It was surreal, considering I had cheered for him in Boston just three weeks earlier.

Rondo received the second loudest ovation during introductions behind Dirk Nowitzki, and dazzled with some phenomenal alley-oops to Tyson Chandler. It was a flashy performance that brought back memories of him serving up perfect lobs for Kevin Garnett and Kendrick Perkins. He finished with 21 points, seven rebounds, and eight assists on his way to being named Player of the Game

The fans seem giddy about Rondo — a true weapon — coming to an already explosive team. Hitzges echoed this sentiment, but also expressed concerns about Rondo’s shaky shooting, which makes him someone who should never lead a team in field goal attempts in a given night.

In other words, at least some of his game got on the plane from Boston.

Hitzges said he gives it an 85 to 90 percent chance Rondo extends with Dallas beyond this season, citing how Rick Carlisle is a fantastic coach and how there are some stellar players locked up long term who can help the team maintain an elite level of play for years to come.

Also, there’s less pressure on Rondo to lead every night.

“He’s going to come in here and he’ll be asked to be the third or fourth best player on the team, and some nights the fifth best player,’’ Hitzges said. “He’s not going to have to carry anybody anytime in Dallas.’’

In just over a year, Dallas has managed to reshape its sports identity with two of Boston’s brightest young stars. Rondo and Seguin had their moments, and they contributed to titles (one more than the other), but it seems like the new location has greeted each of them with a new role. Seguin has stepped forward to become a leader and Rondo has stepped back to become a cog in a machine, and they are flourishing as they never have before.

“It seems to me like Seguin checked his baggage at the door, and I’d be stunned if the same thing didn’t happen with Rondo,’’ Hitzges said. “It’s a great spot for them to be.’’

As I exited the arena as the Mavericks game ended, it was hard not to feel happy for these fans, considering the Mavs and Stars have combined for two titles, compared to the 23 the Celtics and Bruins have amassed.

Seguin is leading the NHL in goals scored, and Rondo is the point guard on a serious contender. Both have been quiet off the court and are rededicated to bringing titles to Dallas. It’s like the old adage goes: sometimes a change of scenery is all you need.