Nearly 20 years after entering the league, Golden State Warriors’ four-time NBA champion Andre Iguodala announced his retirement.
The NBA Finals MVP from 2015 announced his retirement from the league to Andscape on Friday morning. Iguodala averaged 11.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 4.2 assists over the course of 19 seasons and 1,231 games. The 2012 All-Star claimed that before deciding to retire, he turned down interest from the Warriors and numerous other organizations.
Iguodala, 39, told Andscape in a phone interview that “it’s just the right time.” “My time was running out, and I didn’t want to load the rear seat with anything. I didn’t want to have to attempt time management again. Particularly when on the court and spending time with family. A lot.
“You want to do well. Family is a lot, though. My son is sixteen, followed by two girls. So I’m excited to watch them mature during those crucial years.
The 2004 NBA draft’s ninth overall pick was the former Arizona standout. The 6-foot-6, 215-pound forward, who played with the Philadelphia 76ers from 2007 to 2008, made his only All-Star appearance with the team in 2012. He averaged a career-high 19.9 points per game with them.
The defensive-minded forward made the first team in 2013–14 and was twice chosen for the All–NBA defense team. Iguodala won a gold medal in the London Olympics in 2012 and won the 2010 world championship with USA Basketball. In terms of overall games played, he ranks 39th in NBA history.
Iguodala’s former coach at Golden State, Willie Green, who now coaches the New Orleans Pelicans, voiced his admiration.
“He’s always been an experienced young man, and I’m pleased to see what he’s accomplished throughout his career on the floor,” Green stated to Andscape. “A four-time NBA champion, an Olympic gold medalist, but I’m most proud of him for who he is off the court—a loving husband and parent. He has a huge number of friends in the NBA community. But even the young men, he would teach them how to be professionals.
He was among the best and most adaptable players to ever play; he was capable of playing any position and guarding any position. He put a lot of effort into improving his skills since he wanted to be the greatest. That is the reason he finds himself in Golden State, where he is a key player in helping the club win championships and establish itself as a dynasty. When a person like Andre joins your team, everything changes.
Iguodala had stints with the Philadelphia 76ers, Denver Nuggets, and Miami Heat. His work with the Warriors had the largest impact. After Iguodala retired, Warriors owner Joe Lacob stated in 2019 that he intended to retire his No. 9 jersey.
“Andre Iguodala was an important component of four NBA championship teams that included the Warriors and will always be remembered for his numerous contributions to our franchise, both in and out of the court,” Lacob stated in a statement. “His team-first attitude, which we saw right away upon his arrival in Golden State, as well as the influence he made on the defensive end of the court, helped set the tone for much of our success. At some point in the future, we hope to raise #9 to the rafters of Chase Center, and we wish him luck in what will undoubtedly be a very successful foray into business after his playing days are over.
Iguodala declined a five-year deal with the Nuggets in July 2013 in order to negotiate a sign-and-trade deal with the Warriors for a four-year, $48 million deal. That turned out to be his career’s best move. With the team, he captured NBA titles in 2015, 2017, 2018, and 2022. Iguodala spent his final two seasons of his career with the Warriors after leaving Miami, and he participated in eight games last year.
Iguodala remarked, “We won four championships; that’s kind of unheard of.” There are very few teams that can make that claim. You only have the Bulls, Lakers, Celtics, and us. No company has ever been managed in this way. And I believe that is evidence of our mutual trust and ethical play. The timing of the game for me was ideal because I was playing at the height of my abilities. Additionally, things simply go according to plan at the appropriate time, which actually strengthens your faith. You merely hand it all the way over to someone else, who will then be able to assert, “Let me play to the best of my abilities based on the work that I put in and the attention that I have put in the game has paid off.
The 2015 NBA Finals were the pinnacle of Iguodala’s career, as he won MVP honors for his LeBron James defense and Cleveland Cavaliers stardom. When Iguodala was guarding James in that Finals, he shot 38.1% from the field, compared to 44% when other defenders were on him. In the six-game series, Iguodala also put up averages of 16.3 points, 4.0 assists, and 5.8 rebounds.
Iguodala remarked, “That was very nice. It was amusing. I received the news from [then-Warriors GM] Bob Myers. One of those experiences that you’ll never forget. I recall every second of when that occurred. But it’s always reasonable to assume that if you simply go out and do what you’re supposed to do, everything will turn out as it should. You only need to have trust that, as long as you do, everything will turn out well.
“You see men going out and making sure they get it a lot in sports, and sometimes that comes in the way of the team’s performance. It constantly does.
Iguodala contributed to his NBA brethren by serving on the executive committee of the National Basketball Players Association from 2015 to 2023. Iguodala, who most recently served as first vice president, is acknowledged by former NBPA president Chris Paul for assisting him in navigating the difficulties of the NBA bubble in Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, in 2020 amid the coronavirus outbreak.