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Boston Celtics' Rajon Rondo (9) wears a bandage in the fourth quarter of an NBA basketball game against the Chicago Bulls in Boston, Sunday, March 30, 2014. The Bulls won 107-102.

(AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

Rajon Rondo is known as one of the NBA's most cerebral players, a mathematical mind whose brain sometimes sounds like Will Hunting's. Naturally, the Boston Celtics point guard would want to gather plenty of information about how to improve his game.

According to the New York Times, those efforts led Rondo to hire a personal statistician. The Times' Scott Cacciola described Justin Zormelo as far more than a statistical mind, actually. Zormelo helps Rondo and a few other NBA stars -- including John Wall and in the past Kevin Durant -- by combining statistical work, mental approaches and film studies to allow for more in-depth analysis than any simple number cruncher could put together.

The mixture of age-old practices with cutting-edge stats is similar to what Brad Stevens likes to use as the Celtics head coach. But apparently, Stevens does not know much, if anything, about what Rondo does with his outside help.

“Not really,” Rondo told the Times. “But I’m just trying to get better. There’s nothing wrong with that.”

There probably isn't. Players hire people outside their organizations all the time. Personal trainers, shot doctors, basketball trainers, chefs -- a player can get just about any type of help from someone who doesn't work for his team. But what's giving me a little pause about this is the fact that Zormelo coaches Rondo during the season; the Celtics star receives a text breaking down his efforts at the end of a game, and an in-depth email later that includes a summary of Rondo's strengths and weaknesses in his last performance plus a scouting report for his next opponent. If some of the teaching contradicts what Stevens says in the locker room, there's a potential conflict.

The obvious responses to my concerns:

1. Rondo's smart enough to know that if any discrepancy arises, he should listen to his head coach. Stevens' strategies need to rule regardless of what any outside coach says.

2. If Rondo learns information that can help him, in a lot of cases it won't matter where that information comes from. The article explains that Zormelo "gives players data and advice on obscure points of the game — something many coaches may not appreciate — like their offensive production when they take two dribbles instead of four and their shooting percentages when coming off screens at the left elbow of the court." Stevens can definitely appreciate basketball minutiae like that, but maybe Rondo would learn something he didn't know before. And maybe that knowledge can be the difference in a pivotal possession or game.

3. Much of Zormelo's advice seems focused on small details that could make a big difference. For example, he texted John Wall after Game 1 of the first round to let the guard know he should stop leaving his feet before making passes. "They saw that, and they will stay at home when you drive and look for steals in Game 2," Zormelo apparently suggested. Advice like that isn't the type that can damage a team. It's helpful, whether it's coming from a head coach or someone watching on TV many miles away.

4. Rondo has always had a reputation for questioning his coaches, and not necessarily in a bad way. He doesn't just accept a lesson because it comes from an authority figure. He ponders the message, determines whether he agrees, and voices his opinion if he thinks differently. As long as he shares his thoughts the right way, his mentality is what a coach should want. Rondo's disagreements can spur conversation and encourage new (and possibly better) ideas. If he can effectively communicate his thoughts with Stevens -- and all indications suggest they have a good relationship -- having more ideas is a good thing.

Anyway, I've probably put more thought into this than necessary. The Celtics' lone star is trying whatever he can to get better at basketball. That's a good thing, I think.