LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — Louisville native and former University of Kentucky and NBA star Rajon Rondo has been selected for the Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame's Class of 2026.
Rondo, a four-time NBA All-Star and two-time NBA champion, headlines a class that also includes world-class sprinter Tyson Gay of Lexington, longtime women's basketball official Lisa Mattingly of Lebanon and former National League Cy Young Award winner Brandon Webb of Ashland.
The four were chosen by a 15-member selection committee of sports media members from across Kentucky.
The Class of 2026 will be inducted Oct. 29 during a ceremony at Freedom Hall in Louisville.
Rondo starred at Louisville Eastern High School before transferring to Oak Hill Academy for his senior season. He spent two seasons at Kentucky, earning All-SEC honors before becoming the 21st overall pick in the 2006 NBA Draft.
After being traded from Phoenix to Boston on draft night, Rondo helped lead the Celtics to the 2008 NBA championship. He later won a second NBA title with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020. During a 16-year NBA career, Rondo was selected to four All-Star Games, led the league in assists three times and earned four NBA All-Defensive Team selections.
Gay remains the American record holder in the 100-meter dash with a time of 9.69 seconds, the third-fastest legal time in history. The Lexington native won three gold medals at the 2007 World Championships and represented the United States in three Olympic Games.
Mattingly built one of the most accomplished officiating careers in women's basketball history. She worked 18 NCAA Women's Final Fours, 10 national championship games and was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2023. She now serves as coordinator of officials for multiple Division I conferences and is ESPN's women's NCAA Tournament rules analyst.
Webb became one of baseball's top pitchers during his career with the Arizona Diamondbacks, winning the 2006 National League Cy Young Award. The former University of Kentucky standout was a three-time MLB All-Star and finished with an 87-62 career record and a 3.27 ERA.
"The Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2026 reflects excellence across multiple generations of Kentucky sports," Louisville Sports Commission President and CEO Greg Fante said in a release. "Each inductee reached the highest levels of competition in their sport while representing the Commonwealth with distinction."
Founded in 1963, the Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame honors athletes and sports figures with strong ties to the Commonwealth. The Louisville Sports Commission has operated the Hall of Fame since 2018.
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