Golden State Warriors co-chairman and CEO Joe Lacob said that Andre Iguodala’s No. 9 jersey would be retired in a press release also announcing Iguodala’s trade to the Memphis Grizzlies.
Lacob previously said that Kevin Durant’s No. 35 jersey would also be retired following his decision to sign with the Brooklyn Nets this summer.
Iguodala, 35, spent six seasons with the Warriors, winning three titles during that time. He averaged 7.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.1 steals per game in those six years, transitioning into a role player for the Dubs after carrying a heavier offensive load for the Philadelphia 76ers and Denver Nuggets earlier in his career.
But Iguodala was extremely important for the Warriors despite playing a supporting role to Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green, winning an NBA Finals MVP in the 2014-15 season.
He rounded out the vaunted Hamptons Five lineup that ruled over the NBA for Durant’s first two seasons with the Dubs, before injuries this postseason cut their run of dominance short.
And as Ethan Strauss of The Athletic wrote, Iguodala played an important leadership role, too.
“With Andre, the Warriors had this odd setup wherein a starter-level, former star player happened to share a space with guys just aspiring to stick in the rotation. Iguodala had more capital than almost any bench player ever does. He used it to act as something of a player-coach, but for the guys less secure in their roles. This aspect of his duties couldn’t be quantified or properly understood in the context of Sixth Man of the Year award voting, but Iguodala did not just come off the bench; he ran the bench.”
The Warriors then decided to trade Iguodala to the Grizzlies in a cost-cutting move this offseason that allowed them to complete the sign-and-trade for D’Angelo Russell, a slick bit of maneuvering that landed them a star player after Durant departed.
Iguodala’s loss will be felt, however. And now his legacy will hang in the rafters.
Courtesy: Bleacher Report
