Im glad he played well, but Im glad we got the win. [94] Iguodala has a daughter and a son. [5], As a sophomore in 200304, Iguodala was named team MVP after leading his team in rebounds, assists and steals. Victory. It was always my dream to play for the USA team, Iguodala said. "I feel great. On November 28, 2016, Iguodala had a season-best game with 12 points, five rebounds and five assists in a 105100 win over the Atlanta Hawks, helping the Warriors start the season 162 while recording their 12th straight victorytheir equal third-longest streak in franchise history. This year, a country has established its presence during the NBA drafts - Nigeria. Golden State Warriors veteran forward Andre Iguodala returning for 19th At Lanphier he did well academically and athletically; he won All-Conference academic honors, was on the National Honor Roll, was a State Journal-Register Student-Athlete of the Week several times,[7] and gained three letters in track for the high jump. So he was invited to try out for and in this case, try out for means make the Nigerian Olympic squad. You get to experience different cultures. 200809 season: Leading the NBA in minutes, 200910 season: Reunion with Allen Iverson, 201011 season: All-Defensive Second Team, 201415 season: First NBA championship and Finals MVP, 201516 season: Sixth Man of the Year runner-up, 201819 season: Fifth NBA Finals appearance, 201920 season: Sixth NBA Finals appearance, 2010 FIBA World Championship Gold medal, List of National Basketball Association career games played leaders, List of National Basketball Association career steals leaders, List of National Basketball Association annual minutes leaders, "Andre Iguodala voted first VP of National Basketball Players Association", "Player Bio: Andre Iguodala University of Arizona Wildcats Official Athletic Site", "Looking into the life of the Sixers' Andre Iguodala", "Operating on the Hardwood- Andre Iguodala to Arkansas", "Inside the free-agency frenzy that almost cost the Warriors a Finals MVP", "Dick Vitale - Some declaring for draft are making a mistake", "Robinson wins dunkfest amid controversy", "Robinson rises above Slam-Dunk competition", "Emeka Okafor Named 2004-05 NBA got milk? Performance & security by Cloudflare. The Sixers, however, were a big disappointment, going only 2755 during the regular season and missing the playoffs after two straight playoff berths. Fulfilling, I dont even think that is the word for it. Do you believe significant roster changes might be necessary after this season? And so, "Iguodala" could easily mean "Weed/wheat/hay which he/she threw (which fell)" Some Igbo names are in the context of . We went to the Eastern Conference finals, last year we were out in the first round and this year were a .500 team. His partnership with entrepreneurs in San Francisco's Silicon Valley has led to an annual event tagged Players Technology Summit. [5] After the season, Iguodala signed with agent Rob Pelinka, co-founder of the Landmark Sports Agency, who had represented NBA All-Stars such as Kobe Bryant, Carlos Boozer and Gerald Wallace. Thats something that theyve talked about, having a Team Nigeria in Miami, and I think its cool, Erik Spoelstra said. Be the first one to comment on this story. [25] He went on to finish the season with averages of 18.2 points, along with 5.7 rebounds and 5.7 assists. Andre Iguodala will return to play his 19th season in the NBA with the Golden State Warriors, the veteran announced on his "Point Forward" podcast Friday morning. This was also the fifth time in NBA history that an eighth seed defeated a first seed in the opening round of the playoffs. Brad Underwood, the coach at college side Illinois, who came up against Oturu as he played for the Minnesota Golden Gophers, was full of praise for the youngster. His most lethal move is his euro step, which he uses to slither to the basket in traffic. If you watch that game [vs Grizzlies] and you say hes a negative defender or a poor defender, Id like you to pee in a cup, OK?. He can knock down mid-range jumpers, floaters and fadeaways to score in contests making him a lethal scorer. "Myself, I just want to be able to get better, be able to be the best that I can be, continue to work hard, have a great work ethic.". Philadelphia also traded veteran big man Samuel Dalembert to the Sacramento Kings for a younger center Spencer Hawes; the 76ers also acquired Andrs Nocioni in the deal. Even though I wasn't born in Nigeria, I still got Nigerian blood. There were like four or five companies total where we made some great success with the investments. Theyve gotten here and they want to prove that they belong. Every NBA Draft night, draft prospects, domestic and international, are picked by the NBA teams. ESPN Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved. His older brother, Frank, played for Lake Land College in Mattoon, Illinois, and Dayton. I've come a long way since high school. Once he picks up momentum it is unstoppable to stop the Greek Freek. [35] Getting the inbound pass from Klay Thompson, Iguodala turned and made the fade-away jump shot over the Thunder's Thabo Sefolosha. His parents were Nigerian immigrants who moved to America. His mother is African American, while his father is Nigerian. Andre Iguodala: American-based Nigerian NBA star - Vanguard News We want to be a good representation of what we believe in. He was named NBA All-Star in 2012. He is a Nigerian who migrated to the capital of the United Stage, Springfield, Illinois. On February 17, 2006, at the Rookie Challenge, Iguodala won MVP honors for his 30-point performance in the Sophomores win. The 6' 11" center plays in the NBA for the Phoenix Suns. Iguodala scored a season-high 22 points on 8-of-15 shooting, which included four 3-pointers. . Theres a lot of talent in Africa, Achiuwa said. Andre Iguodala PPG 2.3 RPG 2.3 APG 1.7 PIE 5.3 HEIGHT 6'6" (1.98m) WEIGHT 215lb (98kg) COUNTRY USA LAST ATTENDED Arizona AGE 39 years BIRTHDATE January 28, 1984 DRAFT 2004 R1 Pick 9 EXPERIENCE. His next opportunity to return will be Sunday against the Lakers, although a timetable for his return isn't yet clear. Whether it works out or not, its a learning experience. Constantly contesting with the help of his exceptional strength and size. Africa largest e-commerce platform welcomes Golden State super star Andre Iguodala as a board member. Andre Iguodala, an NBA star, has returned to the Golden State Warriors and is currently destroying the 2021 season playoffs by doing what he does best. Iguodala will promote business development and technology in the U.S. on behalf of Lagos-based Jumia, the online marketplace founded in 2012 that sells 6 million products from more than 50,000 . Iguodala played AAU basketball under Larry Butler and the Illinois Warriors, the team that has featured other professional players such as Dwyane Wade, Quentin Richardson, and Jon Scheyer. He plays like a typical center, his strong fundamentals help him score. On August 10, 2012, Iguodala was dealt to the Denver Nuggets in a series of trades also involving the Sixers, Los Angeles Lakers, and Orlando Magic. [36] Iguodala finished with 14 points and 9 assists. Standing at 7ft tall, he drew the attention of recruiters at one of the NBA and Fiba's developmental camps in Africa, despite only taking up the sport at 13. So I'm excited to learn from him. One of them was a mobile gaming company that had a lot of success in Zynga. He practices Christianity as his religion. Andre Tyler Iguodala ( / wdl / ig-w-DAH-l; born January 28, 1984) [1] is an American professional basketball player who plays for the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association (NBA). His next opportunity to return will be Sunday against the Lakers, although a timetable for his return isn't yet clear. for $3.6 million. From there, you start doing your homework. [46][47], On November 11, 2015, Iguodala scored a season-high 20 points against the Memphis Grizzlies to help the Warriors begin the season 90. [42][43] The Warriors defeated the Cavaliers in six games, and Iguodala was named the Finals MVP, becoming the first player to win the award without starting a game during the regular season. He has won three NBA championships with the Golden State Warriors and was named the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP) in 2015. Facts about Andre Iguodala - The Meaning Of The Name Iguodala entered the 2017 off-season as a free agent and held meetings with numerous competing teams, including the Los Angeles Lakers, San Antonio Spurs, Sacramento Kings, and Houston Rockets. Iguodala was born in Springfield, Illinois. Andre is a citizen of the USA. His partnership with entrepreneurs in San Franciscos Silicon Valley has led to an annual event tagged Players Technology Summit. "I've added 20 pounds of muscle. Now a permanent fixture in the 76ers' starting rotation, Iguodala was the only Sixer to play in and start all 82 games in his second season. Andre Iguodala, whose father is Nigerian, turned down Team Nigeria when they repeatedly tried to recruit him for their Olympic squad. [79][80] Memphis was hoping for a quality trade with a playoff contender in exchange for Iguodala and his championship experience. Precious Achiuwa is the third Nigerian-born player to be drafted in the first round since 2000, while soon after Udoka Azubuike was the 4th. In the second round, Iguodala helped the Warriors defeat the Portland Trail Blazers in five games to qualify for the Western Conference Finals. Precious Achiuwa was born in the country, while Bam Adebayo, Andre Iguodala, KZ Okpala, Victor Oladipo and Gabe Vincent have one or both parents from Nigeria originally. [57] On March 13, 2017, he was fined $10,000 by the NBA for using racially intemperate language in an interview following the Warriors' loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on March 10. In the playoffs the 76ers were set to face the third seed Orlando Magic. He began his career as the first overall NBA draft pick in 2018. The 19-year-old shooting guard is 6ft 9 and was a high school teammate of third pick LaMelo Ball at Chino Hills in California, where he was born. After the 202021 season, the Heat did not exercise their $15 million option of Iguodala's contract for the 202122 season, making him a free agent.[86]. For his defensive efforts throughout the season, Iguodala was named to the NBA All-Defensive Team Second Team, though his coaches and teammates lobbied for him to make the First Team. That was the first time that two players born in Nigeria have been picked in the first round of the same draft. He was acquired by Golden State in 2013. It made me who I am, and its pretty much the foundation of who I am today, Achiuwa said. His high-flying leap and freakishly strong frame put him at second number on this list. In his rookie year, Ayton posted noteworthy numbers by averaging 16.3 points and 10.3 rebounds. Antony Ressler: Landry and Kyle are trying to create strongly what it means to be a Hawk. Precious Achiuwa, who is one of two players born and raised in Nigeria, was the 20th overall pick and was picked by Miami Heat. Early on in the year, Iguodala was on a Sixers team with high expectations after signing All-Star forward Elton Brand and seeing the success of forward Thaddeus Young, whom they drafted with their lottery pick the prior year. Iguodala averaged 5.7 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3.2 assists in the regular season. Jordan Nwora will be the most popular pick on the list to Nigerians as the 22-year-old is a member of the country's senior men's basketball team, otherwise known as D'Tigers. His arrival in Denver led to some league experts labeling Denver a contender. Continuing, he said You see that it is not something that is trendy. Iguodala is a huge figure who wields influence in both on and off the court of Basketball. 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