Andre Iguodala’s No. 9 jersey will forever hang in the rafters of the Chase Center.
The Golden State Warriors officially retired Iguodala’s jersey on Sunday afternoon following their 126-102 victory over the Dallas Mavericks in San Francisco. Former teammate Klay Thompson, who now plays for the Mavericks, was present at the ceremony.
Iguodala played a crucial role in the Warriors’ four championship victories during the latter part of his career. He began his NBA journey with the Philadelphia 76ers after being drafted as the No. 9 overall pick in 2004. Following eight seasons with the 76ers, Iguodala had a brief stint with the Denver Nuggets before joining the Warriors in 2013.
Aside from a short period with the Miami Heat, Iguodala concluded his playing career with the Warriors, retiring after the 2022-23 season, a year after the team’s final championship win. Throughout his career, Iguodala averaged 11.3 points and 4.9 rebounds in 1,231 games.
Iguodala was named the NBA Finals MVP in 2015 when the Warriors defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers, marking the first of their three championships in four seasons. He played a significant role under coach Steve Kerr and made history by winning the award without starting in every game of the series.
“When we won the first one, it was almost like we had to do it again to prove that it wasn’t a fluke,” Iguodala said, via The Associated Press. “And then, once you win the second one, you’re like, ’Alright, we’ve got to do it again because nobody can touch us. And we’ve got to do it again because we’re supposed to do it again.’”
“That’s just the unique characteristics of great athletes, the ones who are never satisfied. That was in the DNA of every individual, and it just bred into the fabric of the organization.”
Iguodala now joins the ranks of Warriors legends whose jerseys have been retired, including Rick Barry, Wilt Chamberlain, Nate Thurmond, Al Attles, Chris Mullen, and Tom Meschery. As the cornerstone of the franchise, as Kerr described it, it is a fitting tribute to Iguodala’s immense contributions.