It wasnt easy to make the team. In his freshman year he quickly established himself as one of the best all-around players on the team, ranking in the top 5 for his team in just about every major category. [4] His mother is African American, while his father is Nigerian. "I'm so excited to play alongside Rudy (Gobert)," Azubuike said. 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. Iguodala had a poor playoffs series, averaging 13 points per game. [24] Iguodala averaged 12.3 points and 5.9 rebounds on the season. I didnt necessarily show well early on in the Training Camp process. Iguodala played for Philadelphia until the summer of 2012 when he joined the Denver Nuggets in a four-team trade. This year, a country has established its presence during the NBA drafts - Nigeria. CC:Photo by Steve Jennings/Getty Images for techCrunch "For me, it's really important because I have a lot of roots in Africa with my father being from Nigeria," Iguodala told TechCrunch over the phone this week. Iguodala has played in six NBA finals, out of which five were with the Golden State Warriors and one with the Miami Heat. He can pivot and spin around defenders for easy floaters or reach out for in-traffic dunks. In the deciding Game 7 with the score tied at 89 late in the game, Iguodala was going for a potential layup when Cleveland's James recovered for a chase-down block with 1:50 remaining, a play which came to be known as "The Block".[54]. Born to and African American mother and Nigerian father, Adebayo began his career as the 14th overall NBA draft pick by the Miami Heat in 2017. Iguodala attended high school at Lanphier High School in Springfield, Illinois, a school that produced other notable athletes, including baseball Hall of Famer Robin Roberts and basketball guard Kevin Gamble. Iguodala was born in Springfield, Illinois to his father Leonard Shanklin, and his mother Linda Shanklin. Iguodala was enticed by Arkansas's 13 system, which would have allowed Iguodala to run the point occasionally. "My hope was to end up in a great organisation, and thank God my prayers got answered and I'm part of a great organisation," Achiuwa said. Obinna Ukwuani: The Nigerian MIT graduate who turned down 6-figure paycheck in US and returned to Africa. 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? I dont open the door or close the door to any personnel. His parents were Nigerian immigrants who moved to America. Be the first one to comment on this story. Went to Canada, played there, where I ended up playing against my future teammate Kelly Olynyk, so that was a cool experience when I get here to the HEAT to talk to him about that. The annual draft sees NBA teams choose from the world's best young talent. This is something for the long run. He is a Nigerian who migrated to the capital of the United Stage, Springfield, Illinois. Iguodala developed into more of a primary player in the 200809 season, becoming more active as a facilitator on the offensive end of the floor. 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. He showed his versatility during the season posting up a career-high in triple-doubles. Though he made the team after sinking a game-winning three against Poland in the 2019 Peak Tournament, it wasnt all smooth sailing. Ive gotten calls from them a few times about participating. In 2004, the first time he was called, Iguodala was preparing for his rookie season with the 76ers. On August 10, 2021, Iguodala returned to the Golden State Warriors. However, on December 17, 2013, Iguodala returned to action in a game against the New Orleans Pelicans. Meet the Nigerian-American NBA star, Andre Iguodala, who is driving tech investments in US and Africa By Henry Ojelu National Basketball Association, NBA star, Andre Tyler Iguodala is on his way to Africa. Giannis posted his best playoff numbers in his 2021 NBA Championship bid, averaging an incredible 30.2 points, 12.8 rebounds and 5.1 assists. Iguodala was born in Springfield, Illinois. During the season, Iguodala was hampered by an Achilles injury, leading to career lows in games played and started, field-goal percentage, free-throw percentage, and steals per game as the 76ers finished with a 4141 record. Coach Mike Krzyzewski called Iguodala one of the team's best players, and compared his game to that of Scottie Pippen. They were eventually eliminated by the Boston Celtics in a thrilling seven games in the Conference Semifinals. Andre Iguodala is currently a player for the Miami Heat. 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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). During the season, he averaged 9 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3 assists, 1.7 steals, and 32.8 minutes per game. His mother is African American, while his father is Nigerian. [63] On December 11, 2017, against the Portland Trail Blazers, Iguodala played his 1,000th regular-season game, becoming one of 126 players in NBA history to accomplish the feat. His mother is African American, while his father is Nigerian. He played a leading role in each of Golden States championship seasons. He also made the All-Pac-10 First Team and was named Honorable Mention All-America by The Associated Press. They didnt know I invested. Free shipping for many products! [76], The Grizzlies, who were rebuilding, reached an agreement before training camp to allow Iguodala to stay away from the team and train on his own. In his sophomore year, Arizona was defeated in the first round by Seton Hall. Victory. When Iguodala was selected, ESPN personality Dick Vitale commented that it was a mistake for the Sixers to take him, saying "Iguodala was a [27 percent] shooter from the college three-point line. So he was invited to try out for and in this case, try out for means make the Nigerian Olympic squad. After three championships and five trips to the Finals with the Warriors, Iguodala had a two-year stint with the Miami Heat, with whom he reached his sixth straight Finals in 2020. With a Game 7 victory, the Warriors moved on to the NBA Finals for the second straight year. Andre Tyler Iguodala was born on the 28th of January 1984 to a Nigerian father and an African American mother in Illinois Andre Tyler Iguodala was born on the 28th of January 1984 to a. Just giving those kids back home an opportunity to be able to showcase their talent in a well-put-together league, I think, is great.. [13] On March 6, 2017, he set a new season high with 24 points in a 119111 win over the Atlanta Hawks. Andre Iguodala is born of a Nigerian father and an African-American mother. "I've been working a lot during these quarantine times, and I feel like I've made a lot of improvements," Nnaji explained. We want to be a good representation of what we believe in When you go out there, youre not just representing your country or the NBA, youre representing your beliefs. Jim, we did it baby! Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a2b9bbd9d8d80d2 Oguodala is known for his savvy business instincts and has been at the forefront of navigating the worlds of venture capital and technology in the Bay Area. Andre Tyler Iguodala. From China to the United States and everywhere in between, basketball (and in turn the NBA) has grown immensely over the years. Ayton was born to a Nigerian father and a Jamaican and Bahamian mother. [31] The Nuggets went on to make the playoffs with a franchise-record 5725, and a team record 15 consecutive wins; however, they were upset in the first round by the Golden State Warriors, despite Iguodala having a good series, averaging 18 points, 8 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 2 steals per game in the series. We went to the Dominican Republic, played there. His stellar performance, however, wasn't enough and the Phoenix Suns lost to a stronger Milwaukee Bucks but not due to a lack of effort. Victor Oladipo grew up in the town of Upper Marlboro, Maryland. National Basketball Association, NBA star, Andre Tyler Iguodala is on his way to Africa. He has also been named to the NBA All-Defensive Team twice. In the playoffs, Iguodala had the assignment of guarding James and Dwyane Wade in the first round. He had narrowed down his list of desired schools to two: Kansas or Arkansas. Iguodala was picked up in the 2004 NBA drafts by the Philadelphia 76ers. [102], Iguodala is a tech investor and a leading advocate for athletes in the NBA to invest in the technology industry. Deandre Ayton averaged 15.8 points, 11.8 rebounds and registered a 65.8 field goal percentage. Iguodala got off to a slow start to the season, even to a point where he was leading the league in turnovers. Antony Ressler: There should be clarity. [5][8][9] As a senior in 2002, Iguodala led Lanphier's basketball team to a runner-up finish at the Illinois High School Association Class AA state tournament. The regular season, which has been reduced by 10 matches to 72 due to Covid-19, is due to tip-off on the 22 December. During the playoffs, he boosted his averages to 9.8 points, 4.3 rebounds and 4.0 assists, while also starting a majority of the games. In July 2013, Iguodala declined a five-year deal with Denver and agreed to a four-year for a reported $48 million with the Golden State Warriors. Remember I wrote that it has an Igbo meaning but I'm not sure whether its an Igbo name. !@Giannis_An34 @Paschketball pic.twitter.com/kxLuUoXP0A. This is the first time Nigeria qualified for the Olympics, but with Iguodala aboard, who knows if the team would have made it sooner? A four-time NBA Champion with the Golden State Warriors and one of the leaders of the . His efforts were rewarded when he was named to the All-Rookie First Team and started on the rookie team during the Rookie Challenge portion of All-Star Weekend. Iguodala is a Nigerian name borne by people of Edo in South . 6 small forward and the No. He was raised in Springfield, Illinois, a city in the United States. Oladipo is a multi-dimensional player. And so, "Iguodala" could easily mean "Weed/wheat/hay which he/she threw (which fell)" Some Igbo names are in the context of . In his freshman year, the Wildcats were defeated in the Elite Eight by Kansas. Join us in wishing @DeandreAyton of the @Suns a HAPPY 23rd BIRTHDAY! [12][13], Iguodala was selected 9th overall in the 2004 NBA draft by the Philadelphia 76ers. I'm just excited to do whatever I can to help our team win.". [65][66] The Warriors went on to win their third championship in four years with a sweep of the Cavaliers. A reminder: The Heat has until 5 p.m. tomorrow to decide on the team options in the contracts of Goran Dragic ($19.4 million) and Andre Iguodala ($15 million). This was also the fifth time in NBA history that an eighth seed defeated a first seed in the opening round of the playoffs. Iguodala was also selected for the 2012 London Olympics team, largely due to his exceptional defensive ability. I've come a long way since high school. And I wouldnt trade anything for my culture and me being from Nigeria.. 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