Miami Heat forward Andre Iguodala was recently interviewed on “The Old Man and the Three” podcast hosted by JJ Redick. The NBA veteran discussed his time in Golden State and his views on what came about during their run. Andre Iguodala said that he thought Stephen Curry should have won the 2015 Finals MVP award instead of himself.
Iguodala rounded out the topic suggesting that Curry should have won the award in at least one of Golden State’s three championship wins. As he won it in 2015, and Kevin Durant took it in 2017 and ’18, this left Curry, despite his performance, without individual recognition. Iguodala also gave credence to those who believed that Kevin Durant’s move to Golden State did damage parity across the league.
Andre Iguodala with the Warriors
Andre Iguodala signed with the Golden State Warriors as a free agent in the summer of 2013. He played the first nine seasons of his career between Philadelphia and Denver. In coming to Golden State, he sought an opportunity to become a key piece of a budding championship roster. I suppose he saw in this team what few others did at the time.
Once Steve Kerr took over from Mark Jackson as head coach, Iguodala transitioned to a bench role. Among other changes to the team, this helped position the Warriors for the stretch of championship contention that followed. His performance helped pick up the team en route to the 2015 NBA title. Though his production would wane in his later years, he still played a pivotal role in their 2017 and 2018 championship victories. Even in 2019, as the team dealt with a slew of injuries, Andre Iguodala stepped up when most needed.
Golden State traded Iguodala in the summer of 2019, ending his time with the organization. Though it didn’t end on the highest note, the team and its fanbase will always appreciate what he brought. Recognizing his impact, Warriors co-owner Joe Lacob already made known his intent to retire Iguodala’s No.9 jersey in the near future.
