Former Arizona star Andre Iguodala retires from NBA after 19 seasons

Iggy is finally hanging up his sneakers.

Andre Iguodala, the four-time NBA champion and 2015 NBA Finals MVP, announced his retirement Friday, telling Andscape that “It’s just the right time.”

Iguodala, who played two seasons at Arizona (2002-04) is retiring after 19 seasons in the NBA. The 39-year-old told Andscape, “Time started to get limited for me, and I didn’t want to put anything in the back seat. I didn’t want to have to try to delegate time anymore. Especially with on the court, off the court with family. A lot.”

Iguodala was the last Lute Olson-coached former Wildcat in the NBA.

The Springfield, Illinois native arrived at Arizona in 2002 as a heralded prospect and quickly made a name for himself in the Pac-10. As a freshman he averaged 6.6 points and 4.7 rebounds. He was named to the Pac-10 All-Freshman Team.

The 2003-04 season saw Iguodala emerge as one of the nation’s top players. He averaged 12.9 points and 8.4 rebounds and started all 30 games. He earned First-Team All-Pac-10 honors in 2004.

Iguodala declared for the draft after his sophomore season and was selected 9th overall by the Philadelphia 76ers. Iguodala spent eight seasons with the 76ers. He was named an All-Star in 2012, his final season in Philly.

Iguodala then spent one season in Denver before joining Golden State for the 2013-14 season.

Iguodala’s first NBA title came a year later, when he helped lead the Warriors to the 2014-15 championship. Facing LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Finals, Iguodala emerged as the series’ standout performer, averaging 16.3 points, 4 assists, and 5.8 rebounds. Iguodala’s defense paved the way for the Warriors to come back from a 2-1 series deficit. He held James to 38.1% shooting in the Finals. James shot 44% against other defenders.

Iguodala played a key role in the Warriors’ back-to-back titles in 2016-17 and 2017-18.

In 2016-17, he shot a career-high 52.8% from the field. Iguodala scored 20 points in the series-clinching Game Five of the 2017 NBA Finals versus the Cavaliers.

A year later, the Warriors again faced the Cavaliers in the Finals, this time winning in a four-game sweep. Iguodala missed the first two games of the series with an injury but played vital bench minutes in the latter two games, including 11 points in Game Four.

Iguodala spent the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons with the Heat. He then returned the Warriors for the 2021-22, which culminated in his fourth NBA championship. Iguodala played limited minutes in the Warriors’ Finals victory over the Celtics.

Iguodala spent most of his final season with the Warriors nursing a hip injury and later a left wrist fracture.

Former Warriors teammate Draymond Green told Andscape, “He was one of the best, most versatile players to ever play, can play any position and can guard any position. He really worked on his game because he wanted to be the best that he could.”