Many NBA players have careers that are split into two halves—the first half as starters and All-Star calibre players, while the second half is spent as role players on the bench. However, when it comes to Andre Iguodala, it's hard to say which half was better.
Iguodala was an All-Pac 10 Selection at Arizona and was picked by the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round (9th overall) of the 2005 NBA draft. He was an All-Rookie who was known for his strong defence, but he soon developed a scoring touch and had four consecutive seasons (2006-07 to 2009-10) where he averaged more than 17 points per game while still maintaining his focus on defence. Iguodala received Defensive Player of the Year votes eight times and even finished fifth in his first year with the Golden State Warriors, which was coincidentally his last year as a starter.
Iguodala's defence and added depth on the roster helped the Warriors become a special team, and in 2015, they won the NBA Championship. Iguodala made history as the first bench player to win the Finals MVP, and although his role reduced year by year, he was still a part of three more Championships (2016, 2018, and 2020). Over his career, he also played for Denver and Miami.
In addition to his NBA accomplishments, Iguodala also won a Gold Medal in the 2010 Olympics and 2010 FIBA Worlds. When asked once if he thought he was a Hall of Famer, he emphatically said no. He's probably right, but he's not as far away as he thinks.
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