Andre Iguodala is one of the founding members of the Golden State Warriors' success. He joined the team ahead of the 2013-14 season and was one of the veteran voices for young players looking to find their footing such as Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green. Without him, the Warriors would not have won their championship in 2015 and they would not be the dynasty they find themselves to be today.
On Friday, Iguodala officially announced his retirement from the NBA, as he hangs things up after 19 seasons, according to ESPN's Marc J. Spears.
“It's just the right time,” Iguodala told Spears in a phone interview. “Time started to get limited for me and I didn't want to put anything in the back seat. I didn't want to have to try to delegate time anymore. Especially with on the court, off the court with family. A lot. You want to play at a high level. But then family is a lot. My son is 16 and then two girls. So, [I'm] looking forward to seeing them grow up in those important years.”
Iguodala, 39, spent eight total seasons with Golden State and was a part of all four championship teams the organization has had since 2015. In a Warriors' uniform, he averaged 6.9 points and 3.8 rebounds per game while shooting 48.0 percent from the floor. Known for his defensive skills in the Bay Area, Iggy ended up claiming the 2015 NBA Finals MVP for his defensive assignment on LeBron James.
Other than playing for the Warriors, Iguodala spent time with the Denver Nuggets, Miami Heat, and the Philadelphia 76ers, the organization that drafted him ninth overall in 2004. As a member of the 76ers, he played in 82 games across four different seasons and made his only All-Star appearance during the 2011-12 season.
Contemplating whether to retire following the team's championship in 2022, Iguodala decided to return to the Warriors for one final season this past year. While only playing in eight games, Iguodala had decided to play for one more season in order to continue mentoring the Warriors' youth and to be with the players he had been with for years.
“I'm gonna blame a few people. Steph Curry is one person that I'm gonna blame,” Iguodala said on his Point Forward podcast last year. “But as a group, I'm blaming Draymond, Steph and Klay, Steve Kerr a little bit, Bob Myers. I think they really just showed me a lot of love.”
As far as what his plans are in life after basketball, Iguodala recently told New York Times' DealBook that he plans to focus on his other career as a start-up investor and will run Mosaic, a $200 million venture capital fund.
While he only made one All-Star appearance in his career, Iguodala's resume speaks for itself. He's a four-time champion and was named the Finals MVP during one of those title runs. He also retires as a two-time All-Defensive Team member.
Regarding the Hall of Fame, Andre Iguodala certainly has a chance to see his name next to legends of the game. One thing that's certain is that Iggy will forever be remembers and cherished in Warriors' land.
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