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Sipping and tasting with 4x NBA All-Star Rajon Rondo and Wine Access’ Vanessa Conlin on the eve of 2021 All-Star. What could be better?

Happy 2021 All-Star Weekend! Haute Wine Society celebrated (as we do) our way (also, as we do) by drinking wines provided by Wine Access on the eve of All-Star with 4x All-Star and 2x Champion, Rajon Rondo. But before we begin our recap of this awesome evening, first, a bit about Rondo:

The NBA Point Guard and reigning champion signed with the Atlanta Hawks in 2020 after three seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers; he formerly led the Boston Celtics to the 2008 Larry O’Brian trophy. The Louisville-native played his collegiate career with his hometown Kentucky Wildcats before being selected 21st overall in the 2006 NBA draft. An elite facilitator, the four-time All-Star has led the league in assists per game three times (2012, 2013, and 2016), and has earned four NBA All-Defensive Team honors. Over his fourteen-year career, he’s also suited-up for the Dallas Mavericks, Sacramento Kings, Chicago Bulls and New Orleans Pelicans. The father of two launched the Rajon Rondo Foundation in 2011. The Foundation’s goal is to support and mentor young people and is currently developing a Community Locker Rooms initiative that will serve as a positive behavior-based reinforcement strategy, providing incentives for youth to show higher levels of community and civic engagement.

THE HIGHLIGHTS

Photo Credit: NBA Photos/Alex Goodlett/Getty Images

What he’s drinking post-wine versus post-loss: ” I might go to a more expensive bottle If I win, or if I reach a milestone or check something off the list, but more than likely, I’m open. You know, it’s actually funny — now it’s my 15th season being here in Atlanta, and what we do pretty much after all the games we win, when someone gets a glass bottle of wine, whoever plays the hardest or who plays the best will get to open that bottle of wine.”

Of the cities that he’s lived in, which has the best wine scene: “Los Angeles. L.A. was really nice. They had a couple of wine spots I would go to after games, where they’d introduce me to different wines. I’d go to the cellar, and have other people join me after games. I actually played for Sacramento and would drive to Napa all the time on my days off and explore some new wines.”

What it was like in the bubble in relation to wine: “It was fun. Those Lakers, they had all access to it. We were able to indulge as much as we wanted to… [The bubble] was hectic in its own sense, but the wines obviously helped a lot of those nights as well.”

THE WINES

Photo Credit: Wine Access

Photo Credit: Wine Access

WATCH OUR HAUTE ALL-STAR WEEKEND CHAT WITH RONDO BELOW — PLUS OUR SURPRISE VISIT FROM 3X- WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION LENNOX LEWIS!