Andre Iguodala is the embodiment of a veteran leader on the Golden State Warriors. He was the first player the Warriors signed in 2014 with the intention to push for a championship. He has been a mentor to the Warriors trio of Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, and Stephen Curry since he joined the team.
Iguodala is very supportive of players around him that represent this generation. He has been full of praise for Kyrie Irving despite Irving being the man to hit the shot to end the Warriors’ 2016 season in heartbreak. Iguodala loves appreciating the greats of this generation, but Curry has to be more personal for him.
After the Warriors won Game 6 against the Boston Celtics and became NBA Champions for the 4th time with Klay, Steph, Draymond, and Iggy on the roster together, Iggy decided to get the match ball and hand it to Steph. He said he did the same because he has to do everything he can to protect Curry’s legacy.
Iguodala is as important to the Warriors as any member of their core trio. While he isn’t a contributor on the court anymore, he is the man that led won the Finals MVP when they all won their first title together. He has seamlessly transitioned into a bench veteran, presumably because of his genuine desire to see these players succeed.
Like Udonis Haslem in Miami, Iguodala could be on veteran minimums for years if he wants to, and continue being a leader to this group of players and the younger generation coming through the ranks.
The game ball will hold a lot of value to Steph considering how all Warriors have spoken about the value of this championship compared to the others. Iggy also would want Curry to remember his first Finals MVP, especially considering Iguodala won it over him in 2015 despite Curry being the team’s best player.
