Rajon Rondo vaulted himself into one of the elite point guards in the NBA with a breakthrough NBA Playoffs, but the former Kentucky point guard’s bid for a second NBA championship in three years fell short Thursday night with an 83-79 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers in game seven of the NBA Finals.

While leading the Boston Celtics to the NBA Finals, Rondo averaged 15.8 points points, 9.3 assists and 5.6 rebounds. In his final game of the season, Rondo scored 14 points, dished out 10 assists and grabbed eight rebounds, including a late offensive board and desperation 3-point late in the game to keep the Celtics in it.

The 6-foot-1 gangly guard from Louisville, Ky., posted two triple-doubles during the Celtics’ run and would have very likely been a top candidate to win the Most Valuable Player award had Boston closed out the series. If that would have happened, Rondo would have become the first time in Kentucky history that a former player had been named the NBA Finals MVP.

That honorable distinction will obviously have to wait for at least another year, but there’s no questioning the legitimacy of Rondo’s rise. He’s here to stay as one of the NBA’s best.