The 2004 NBA Draft wasn’t loaded with star power. Dwight Howard made waves as the No. 1 overall pick, but otherwise, it was a fairly mundane rookie class. Except for Andre Iguodala, who carved out an important niche in Philadelphia before cementing his Hall of Fame case with the Golden State Warriors.
Iguodala was selected ninth and has since outperformed picks No. 2-8 by a comfortable margin. He averaged 15.3 points, 5.8 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game in eight seasons with the Sixers, emerging as a core piece in an otherwise bleak and unrewarding era.
An elite role player, “Iggy” was tasked will a bigger role than most would recommend. Yet he made it work, playing elite perimeter defense, developing into a gifted playmaker and carrying a significant scoring burden in his prime.
While not a great perimeter scorer, Iguodala’s basketball I.Q. and athleticism made him an effective slasher. He put pressure on defenses, either finishing inside or distributing to teammates. He was rewarded for his progression with his first (and only) All-Star appearance in 2012.
That same season, Iguodala played a key role in leading the Sixers past the top-seeded Chicago Bulls in the first round. It was a historic upset and one fans will remember for quite some time. Philadelphia never made the leap to contender status in Iguodala’s tenure, but he was a hard-nosed, lovable player who embodied the city.
He has since won three titles and an NBA Finals MVP in Golden State, adding well-deserved accolades to his impressive resume.