UA standouts Stanley Johnson, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Brandon Ashley and T.J. McConnell could all be selected in this month’s NBA draft.
In the days leading up to the June 25 event, reporter Zack Rosenblatt will take a trip down memory lane, dig into the Star archives, and look at some of Arizona’s former NBA draftees, the path that took them to that point, and what they’ve done since then.
First up: Andre Iguodala.
The Golden State Warriors in 2015 are filled with some names very familiar to Arizona Wildcats fans.
There’s Steve Kerr, head coach, and assistant coach Luke Walton.
Andre Iguodala comes off the bench for the Warriors as their sixth man, sacrificing playing time for the betterment of the team and a chance at his first-ever NBA title.
Sean Miller, he of the “honor the process” mantra, would certainly be proud of that.
For Iguodala, it makes sense — the 6-foot-6 forward is in his first NBA finals, 11 years into his NBA career.
It’s a pro career that started back in 2004 with the Philadelphia 76ers, after a two-year college stint in Tucson.
Here’s a look back at Iguodala’s path to the NBA draft.
At Arizona: Iguodala, a four-star recruit, initially committed to play at Arkansas out of high school, picking the Razorbacks over the Wildcats. But when Norm Richardson was fired as Arkansas’ head coach, Iguodala switched to Arizona, forming one of Lute Olson’s then-most highly touted recruiting classes, along with Hassan Adams, Chris Rodgers and Chris Dunn.
Iguodala spent two years with the Wildcats before leaving early for the NBA.
In his two years, ‘Iggy’ — from Springfield, Illinois — established himself as an all-around talent with impressive athleticism, posting career averages of 9.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.5 steals per game, and also set an Arizona record with three career triple-doubles.
The draft: After Arizona lost in the first round of the NCAA tournament to Seton Hall in 2004, Iguodala took more than three weeks to decide if he would leave for the NBA.
Spoiler alert: He did.
“I feel the time is right for me to fulfill a lifelong dream of playing in the NBA,” Iguodala said then.
It made sense: Iguodala was projected as a top-10 pick by most draft prognosticators.
Before the draft, some rumors circulated that the Chicago Bulls, his home state team, were considering him as the No. 3 pick.
“There are questions about his outside shot, but he’s a good all-around player,” a scout told the Star in 2004. “He’s a good passer, defender and he has that long, athletic body that’s all the rage right now.”
In the end, Iguodala went No. 9 to Philadelphia, a team looking for some support for superstar Allen Iverson.
From the archives: Iguodala took his first call from Sixers general manager Billy King.
“He just said, ‘Kobe Bryant went 13th, and Tracy McGrady went 11th, so there’s nothing wrong with being picked lower than you thought,’ Iguodala recalled. “Hey, I’m just happy to be picked.”
As a pro: Iguodala has had one of the more successful pro careers of any Arizona Wildcat. He spent his first eight years in Philadelphia, where he made the playoffs five times and was named an All-Star in 2012.
After that season, Iguodala was traded to the Denver Nuggets before becoming a free agent in the offseason, signing with the Warriors for four years and $48 million.
In the NBA, Iguodala established himself as a top-notch athlete — he participated in the 2006 NBA Dunk Contest — and as one of the league’s best defenders, guarding the other team’s best player for most of his career. He was named to the NBA’s All-Defensive first team in 2014, and the second team in 2011.
Because of his accomplishments, Iguodala was inducted into Arizona’s Ring of Honor in 2012.
