Warriors to retire Andre Iguodala’s #9 jersey

SAITAMA, JAPAN - OCTOBER 02: Andre Iguodala #9 of the Golden State Warriors enters the court prior to the Washington Wizards v Golden State Warriors - NBA Japan Games at Saitama Super Arena on October 02, 2022 in Saitama, Japan. NOTE TO USER: User ex
SAN FRANCISCO - The Golden State Warriors on Tuesday announced the team will retire Andre Iguodala’s number 9 jersey next month, forever honoring the legacy of the four-time NBA champion.
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The action will make the 41-year-old only the seventh player in Warriors franchise history to have his jersey number retired.
In announcing his jersey retirement, the Warriors posted an iconic black and white photo of Iguodala with a Larry O'Brien NBA Championship Trophy in hand and a video looking back at his Warriors journey.
In the caption it said: "A lasting legacy. Iguodala, number 9. Forever in the rafters."
Timeline:
Iguodala played eight seasons with Golden State, starting in 2013, with six trips to the NBA Finals.
In 2015, after the team won its first title in 40 years, the forward was named the NBA Finals MVP.
In 2020, Iguodala was traded to the Miami Heat.
But his departure from the Bay Area wasn’t long-lived. He returned to the Warriors for the 2021-22 season, when the team won its fourth NBA championship in eight years.
Iguodala's storied career ended after the 2022-23 season.
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He announced his retirement in October 2023.
Iguodala’s continued involvement
Iguodala has remained actively involved with the team. The seasoned NBA veteran has served as a valuable mentor to young players.
"We had a great mentoring system in place this year with all these young guys playing with our vets who had seen it all," Coach Steve Kerr was quoted in a Warriors news article announcing the jersey retirement. "Andre, in particular, was just incredible this year and continues to be so with his counseling and advice."
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Iguodala has often been referred to as the "glue," and an integral part of the Warriors' recent dynasty.
"He's one of the main reasons we’ve got those four banners hanging up," Kerr said. "He was a foundational piece of what has been one of the great runs in NBA history. What Andre has meant to not only our team but to me personally, as a coach, for accepting his role, mentoring younger players and the bench, keeping everything going, the respect that the stars had for him-- Andre was the unsung hero of all of this."
Iguodala’s retired jersey will hang alongside six other Warriors greats in the rafters at Chase Center. #9 will join Alvin Attles' #16, Rick Barry's #24, Wilt Chamberlain's #16, Tom Meschery's #14, Chris Mullin's #17, and Nate Thurmond's #42.
The jersey retirement ceremony will be held on Sunday, Feb. 23 at the Chase Center following the Warriors game against the Dallas Mavericks.
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