Jordan is also Nigeria's highest scorer in a single match after registering 36 points in a 2019 World Cup qualifier in Lagos. He helped the Philadelphia 76ers clinch the final seed in the playoffs. Miami Heat may well get a few more fans in Nigeria as Achiuwa will join four others at the team who have Nigerian heritage - Bam Adebayo, Andre Iguodala, Chikezie 'KZ' Okpala and Gabe Vincent. 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. Iguodala hasn't suited up since mid-January and will miss yet another game Friday. If you watch that game [vs Grizzlies] and you say hes a negative defender or a poor defender, Id like you to pee in a cup, OK?. The Sixers, however, were a big disappointment, going only 2755 during the regular season and missing the playoffs after two straight playoff berths. 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. [35] Getting the inbound pass from Klay Thompson, Iguodala turned and made the fade-away jump shot over the Thunder's Thabo Sefolosha. [80][81][82], On February 6, 2020, Iguodala was traded to the Miami Heat in a three-team trade along with Jae Crowder and Solomon Hill with Memphis and Minnesota. In his rookie year, he teamed up with Allen Iverson and would regularly display his leap to convert Iverson Alley Oops into monsterous dunks. The Players Technology Summit, sponsored by Bloomberg, was established as a platform to set a discourse and help shape conversations for athletes' financial future through opportunities in the technology industry. He had narrowed down his list of desired schools to two: Kansas or Arkansas. Theres the saying, It takes a village to raise a child, and that kind of mindset and mentality, I think with his upbringing, rang very true, Vincent said. You do some research on those companies because you are watching where your money is going and how its growing or how its being lost. Im thrilled to be a part of this unique enterprise that is shaping the future of digital Africa., His affirmation was also rechoed by Jumia co-founder Sacha Poignonne who said: Having Andre join our board sends the world the message that Africa has successful companies and great entrepreneurs, and that athletes can play a key role in contributing to their success.. Coming in as the 27th overall pick was Udoka Azubuike who will be playing for the Utah Jazz. [56] In February 2017, long-time agent Rob Pelinka was appointed as the new general manager for the Los Angeles Lakers; Iguodala chose to remain with the Landmark Sports Agency, and co-founder Brandon Rosenthal took over as Iguodala's agent. His most lethal move is his euro step, which he uses to slither to the basket in traffic. That was just an E-Trade investment. Iguodala is a huge figure who wields influence in both on and off the court of Basketball. Iguodalas father is Nigerian. He's not going to be able to play",[14] Iguodala used this as motivation in what proved to be a very productive rookie season. The annual draft sees NBA teams choose from the world's best young talent. On August 10, 2021, Iguodala returned to the Golden State Warriors. In his rookie year, Ayton posted noteworthy numbers by averaging 16.3 points and 10.3 rebounds. So he was invited to try out for and in this case, try out for means make the Nigerian Olympic squad. Looking at the HEAT-Nigeria connection, as Precious Achiuwa was born in the country, while Bam Adebayo, Andre Iguodala, KZ Okpala, Victor Oladipo and Gabe Vincent have one or both parents from . I made some investment in startups with my E-Trade account. Free shipping for many products! "I'm so excited to play alongside Rudy (Gobert)," Azubuike said. We went to the Dominican Republic, played there. Were a lot further than we were three, four years ago. "He is the most improved player in the country [in 2019-20]. The 6' 11" center plays in the NBA for the Phoenix Suns. They kept him on their 15-man opening day roster instead of buying out the 35-year-old veteran, who was earning $17 million in the last year of his contract. [71] The Warriors returned to the NBA Finals for the fifth straight season, but lost in six games to the Toronto Raptors. He was awarded the Finals MVP in 2015. In the playoffs, Iguodala had the assignment of guarding James and Dwyane Wade in the first round. [50] The Warriors finished the regular season as the first seed in the Western Conference with a 739 record, the best overall record in NBA history, surpassing the 199596 Chicago Bulls' mark of 7210, while Iguodala finished as runner-up for the 201516 NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award. From there, you start doing your homework. As guys like Achiuwa, Vincent and Adebayo continue to make a name for themselves, basketball will just continue to get more and more popular in Africa. The National Basketball Association (NBA) superstar Andre Iguodala has joined Jumia's board of directors. Andre Iguodala, whose father is Nigerian, turned down Team Nigeria when they repeatedly tried to recruit him for their Olympic squad. #NBABDAY #ThatsGame pic.twitter.com/X4xCz3NFvr. He protects the paint regularly, implements chase-down blocks, and can even snatch offensive and defensive rebounds. A four-time NBA Champion with the Golden State Warriors and one of the leaders of the . And then as I continued to play better, as we went to Nigeria, we were able to interact with our people and be back home as we would call it, and it was just an eye-opening experience, Vincent said. Andre is a citizen of the USA. So he was invited to try out for - and in this case, "try out for" means "make" - the Nigerian Olympic squad. In acknowledgment of the players of Nigerian Origin's impact on the NBA, this list is a chronicle of the best such active players. His decision to remain away from the team drew backlash from teammates, notably Dillon Brooks and Ja Morant, who criticized his refusal to play as disrespectful. Its interesting. 8 years ago today. His defensive prowess lies in his ability to gather balls off the rim and offensively, he can put the same balls back in for quick buckets. Precious Achiuwa, who is one of two players born and raised in Nigeria, was the 20th overall pick and was picked by Miami Heat. You gotta tip your hat to that, to what they did to us in our home floor. He played in a tournament put together at the NBA 2K10 launch party in New York City against other NBA players Nate Robinson, Brook Lopez and Rajon Rondo, and rapper Wale. During his career at Arizona, the Wildcats made it to the NCAA Tournament both seasons. [76] Golden State was eyeing a replacement for Thompson while he recovered from his injury, and the trade freed salary cap space for them to acquire All-Star guard D'Angelo Russell in a sign-and-trade package with the Brooklyn Nets for Durant, who had announced earlier that he planned to sign with the Nets. During the 2017 championship run, he further established his legacy as one of the NBAs premier players. Deandre Ayton averaged 15.8 points, 11.8 rebounds and registered a 65.8 field goal percentage. Philadelphia was set to face the No. After earning first-team all-conference honors in the Pac-10 (known now as the Pac-12) as a sophomore in 2004, he was selected in the 2004 NBA draft with the ninth overall pick by the Philadelphia 76ers. [5], As a sophomore in 200304, Iguodala was named team MVP after leading his team in rebounds, assists and steals. [32][33] He officially joined the Warriors in a three-team sign-and-trade deal with the Nuggets and the Utah Jazz. Previously with the 3-time NBA Champions Golden State Warriors, Iguodala was drafted into the NBA in 2004. The 21-year-old centre is the second Nigeria-born player on the list and was discovered by Raptors, a Lagos-based basketball academy (not affiliated to NBA team, Toronto Raptors). Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a2b9bbd9d8d80d2 Thats where I grew up. The 6ft 11 center was born to a Nigerian father and American mother and played college basketball for the Arizona Wildcats. This was also the fifth time in NBA history that an eighth seed defeated a first seed in the opening round of the playoffs. [42][43] The Warriors defeated the Cavaliers in six games, and Iguodala was named the Finals MVP, becoming the first player to win the award without starting a game during the regular season. Other players involved in the deal included All-Stars Andrew Bynum and Dwight Howard. 9 jersey. Iguodala was born in Springfield, Illinois on January 28, 1984. He plays like a typical center, his strong fundamentals help him score. [40] On March 18, 2015, he scored a then season-high 21 points on 9-of-12 shooting in a 11495 win over the Atlanta Hawks. He began to step up his game as the season went on, leading Philadelphia to a playoff berth. In addition to his numerous basketball achievements, he has found success in the business world with entrepreneurial ventures in technology and e-commerce. In the preseason Philadelphia drafted point guard Jrue Holiday out of UCLA to take over the void left at point guard after the departure of veteran point guard Andre Miller, who had joined the Portland Trail Blazers. for $3.6 million. [15] Iguodala was thrust into the starting lineup immediately during his rookie season and was the only 76er to play and start all 82 regular-season games plus 5 playoff games, becoming a favorite target of Allen Iverson in the process, often connecting on highlight-reel dunks on passes or alley-oops from Iverson. As part of the trade, he agreed to a two-year, $30 million extension with Miami, with the last year being a team option. Almost instantly, he became a hit, making his mark as one of the leagues premier players. Coach Mike Krzyzewski called Iguodala one of the team's best players, and compared his game to that of Scottie Pippen. With the second overall pick in the draft, the Sixers made a big splash by drafting Evan Turner. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. [67] In a sign of respect towards their opponent and with an increased urgency, Kerr opened the conference semifinals against Houston by moving Iguodala from the bench and starting their Hamptons Five lineup for the first time in the season. The 22-year-old was the last of the players of Nigerian heritage to be selected in the first round of the draft. The 2020-21 NBA Champion and NBA Finals MVP, a player who is now arguably the best player in the league, Giannis Antetokounmpo is without a question number 1 on our list. Andre Tyler Iguodala (born January 28, 1984) is an American professional basketball player for the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association (NBA). We went to the Eastern Conference finals, last year we were out in the first round and this year were a .500 team. BBC Sport Africa has been finding out about all eight of the players set to be the stars of the future. Speaking about the visit, he said: Because of my Nigerian heritage, Jumias use of technology to deliver innovative online services to consumers and improve the quality of everyday life in Africa is very important to me. He has appeared in three playoffs and two NBA All Stars games proving his potential. Iguodala played 19.5 minutes over only 31 games last season because of an array of injuries from a bulging disk in his lower back, a neck injury and a knee that required draining multiple times. Remember I wrote that it has an Igbo meaning but I'm not sure whether its an Igbo name. [52] The Warriors went on to defeat the Rockets in five games. [99][100] Iguodala enjoys playing video games, particularly the NBA 2K series. Passion for tech investment Speaking about his passion for investment in tech companies, Iguodala said: I started with an E-Trade account. trademarks of Slam Media Inc. All rights reserved. Ive never been there. In Game 1, Orlando had an 18-point lead in the fourth quarter, but Philadelphia made an amazing comeback led by Iguodala, eventually scoring a step-back, fadeaway jumper in the face of Hedo Trkolu with 2.2 seconds remaining to give the Sixers the win. In February 2019, Iguodala was elected first vice-president of the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA). Iguodala was born in Springfield, Illinois. [55] On January 16, 2017, he came off the bench to make all five of his field goal attempts for a season-high 14 points in a 12691 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. Telling the story of African immigrants living in the Americas, Nigerian 'unicorn' Interswitch sells stake to Visa, Nigerian-born Akim Aliu lands book deal on how he confronted racism in hockey. The 19-year-old shooting guard is 6ft 9 and was a high school teammate of third pick LaMelo Ball at Chino Hills in California, where he was born. 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. In Game 7, Iguodala started in place of Harrison Barnes and again marked Kevin Durant. In Game 6 of the Sixers' first-round playoff series against the Chicago Bulls, he made two free throws with 2.2 seconds left to win the game and help the Sixers upset the Bulls en route to the franchise's first playoff series win since 2003. American Basketball star Andre Iguodala , a notable tech investor and board member of Jumia Group, recently visited Nigeria his country of descent to engage . Andre Tyler Iguodala was born on the 28th of January 1984 to a Nigerian father and an African American mother in Illinois. [26] He officially signed on August 17, 2008. Giannis is a force of nature, an unstoppable force that mows down everything in its path. Iguodala proved his versatility, as he was the only rookie and 76er to record a triple-double that season, doing it against the defending champion Detroit Pistons. I make sure I stay in the chapel and have a good relationship with our chaplain. This year, a country has established its presence during the NBA drafts - Nigeria. The swingman was an NBA All-Star in 2012 and has been named to the NBA All-Defensive Team twice. I had a similar role to affect the game defensively. With a Game 7 victory, the Warriors moved on to the NBA Finals for the second straight year. Previously with the 3-time NBA Champions Golden State Warriors, Iguodala was drafted into the NBA in 2004. The inaugural edition of the event began in 2017 where Iguodala and teammate Stephen Curry played hosts. [24] Iguodala averaged 12.3 points and 5.9 rebounds on the season. Andre has left an indelible mark on the NBA, particularly his clutch performance in 2017 that helped the Warriors win the season. He has won three NBA championships with the Golden State Warriors and was named the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP) in 2015. He is the son of Linda Shanklin. After posting career totals of 594 points (9.6 ppg), 409 rebounds (6.6 rpg) and 95 steals (1.53 spg) in 62 games (34 starts) he left to enter the NBA draft. Iguodala was born in Springfield, Illinois to his father Leonard Shanklin, and his mother Linda Shanklin. [19] A day later, he participated in the Slam Dunk Contest. Andre Iguodala, an NBA star, has returned to the Golden State Warriors and is currently destroying the 2021 season playoffs by doing what he does best. [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. 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. Miami Heat may well get a few more fans in Nigeria as Achiuwa will join four others at the team who have Nigerian heritage - Bam Adebayo, Andre Iguodala, Chikezie 'KZ' Okpala and Gabe Vincent. Antony Ressler: If youre the final decision maker, which I am, you have to have complete accountability. He played a leading role in each of Golden States championship seasons. Iguodala has played in six NBA finals, out of which five were with the Golden State Warriors and one with the Miami Heat. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. 2 seed Detroit. A 6' 4" shooting guard, he is agile and athletic with exceptional explosive strength. That should be everyone's goal, to win a championship that everyone wants to win," Okongwu insisted. It didnt feel right to me. 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). "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. 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. [27] The contract had $5 million in bonuses and a player option for the sixth year. He rested on one end of every back-to-back the . In Game 6 of the series, Iguodala's defense on Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook was key to the Warriors forcing Game 7. He went on to play for the Golden State Warriors and won. [11] However, after their coach, Nolan Richardson, was fired that year (2002), Iguodala decided to attend Arizona instead. Is every player on the table when it comes to potential change, including Trae Young? His scoring average was the lowest of all the 24 All-Stars, but he was rewarded for being the best player on the 76ers, who were leading the Atlantic Division. The 21-year-old, 6ft 10 centre looks set to end up at the LA Clippers after he was originally picked by the Minnesota Timberwolves, who immediately traded him the New York Knicks before being moved on again. Iguodala is a strong Christian, credited to a famous quote, that: Faith is something I heavily lean on to give me that balance. In the FIBA World Championships Iguodala displayed his athleticism with an array of fastbreak dunks. In their conference finals match-up with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Iguodala helped the Warriors fight back from a 31 deficit in the series to win clinch a 43 victory. This is something for the long run. It was a grind, to be honest. [77][78] Afterwards, the Warriors stated that they planned to eventually retire Iguodala's No. Im proud of where Im from. In his sophomore year, Arizona was defeated in the first round by Seton Hall. Landry has referenced the need for accountability. [103] The second edition saw other athletes from the NBA like Kevin Durant and Jaylen Brown make debuts. His partnership with entrepreneurs in San Francisco's Silicon Valley has led to an annual event tagged Players Technology Summit. Philadelphia also traded veteran big man Samuel Dalembert to the Sacramento Kings for a younger center Spencer Hawes; the 76ers also acquired Andrs Nocioni in the deal. DeAaron Fox showed Russell Westbrook nothing but respect after defeating the Clippers on Friday. In his best NBA regular-season performance, Oladipo averaged 19.9 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 4.8 assists. It was difficult, so just reading what my name comes from, getting the basics down, like really learning like the heritage and where Im from and what tribe.. He reminds me a lot of Kevin Garnett with his package - his athleticism, his skill set," Underwood said. Your money starts growing. Aside winning several laurels as an NBA star, Iguodala is also a tech-investor and a leading advocate for athletes in the NBA to invest in the technology industry. He supported Devin Booker and Chris Paul as they fought their way through the ranks. He has since performed phenomenally for his team. He played like a man possessed while under the paint. It was an amazing experience, man. But that wasnt what kept him from saying yes to a unique opportunity. Victor Oladipo grew up in the town of Upper Marlboro, Maryland. [94] Iguodala has a daughter and a son. Iguodala averaged 5.7 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3.2 assists in the regular season. Iguodala is a huge figure who wields influence in both on and off the court of Basketball. Precious Achiuwa was born in the country, while Bam Adebayo, Andre Iguodala, KZ Okpala, Victor Oladipo and Gabe Vincent have one or both parents from Nigeria originally. [72] However, Thompson left the game after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his left knee,[73] and Durant was already sidelined after rupturing his right Achilles tendon in Game 5. The swingman was an NBA All-Star in 2012 and has been named to the NBA All-Defensive Team twice. News: 20 hours agoIguodala (hip) has been ruled out for Friday's game against the Pelicans. He is an American professional basketball . Your login session has expired. Iguodala was picked up in the 2004 NBA drafts by the Philadelphia 76ers. This is the first time Nigeria qualified for the Olympics, but with Iguodala aboard, who knows if the team would have made it sooner? Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. Two of them, Precious Achiuwa, picked by the Miami Heat, and Udoka Azubuike, picked by Utah Jazz. [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. Last updated on 19 November 202019 November 2020.From the section Sport Africa. Jim, we did it baby! His date of birth is however unknown but he is believed to be in his early 60s considering the age of his son younger Andre (age 38 years). Obinna Ukwuani: The Nigerian MIT graduate who turned down 6-figure paycheck in US and returned to Africa. He is very close to his parents and his parents also supported him in every phase of his life. At Arizona he joined future NBA players Channing Frye, Luke Walton, Mustafa Shakur, Salim Stoudamire and Hassan Adams. Philadelphia started the season poorly but were one of the best teams down the stretch. [90] After missing the first 39 games due to a hip injury, he made his season debut on January 8, 2023, in a 115101 loss to the Orlando Magic.[91]. He has won four NBA championships with the Warriors and was named the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP) in 2015. It keeps me focused When people see us on the court, we want them to see God's work. On January 3, 2014, Iguodala hit a game-winning, 3-point buzzer-beater in the Warriors' 101100 win over the Atlanta Hawks. 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. He was acquired by Golden State in 2013. Antony Ressler: We just elevated Landry, elevated Kyle and we brought in a world-class coach (Quin Snyder). We tend to hop on what is trending at the moment. Andre Iguodala. Im glad he played well, but Im glad we got the win. Theyve been trying to get here for a long time now, Iguodala said. [13] On March 6, 2017, he set a new season high with 24 points in a 119111 win over the Atlanta Hawks. So I'm excited to learn from him. Andre Iguodala is born of a Nigerian father and an African-American mother. [87] He missed 31 games from January to April with back soreness. Of course I take responsibility. Iguodala was also a finalist for the Illinois Mr. Basketball award, which was awarded to Dee Brown. "To be honest, I didn't think I'd be in the position I'm in today. [5] Growing up, Iguodala rooted for the Chicago Bulls, and he cites Michael Jordan as the player he looked up to.[6]. Onyeka Okongwu, also born to Nigerian parents, was the sixth overall pick selected by Atlanta Hawks. He was born to Nigerian parents who are pentecostal ministers in Minnesota, with his father Francis a former table tennis player for Nigeria. He replaced LeBron James in that role. Nigeria, Olympics, USA Basketball, Uncategorized, Nigeria, Olympics, USA Basketball, Andre Iguodala, Philadelphia 76ers, Team USA, Top Rumors, Antony Ressler, Trade, Kyle Korver, Landry Fields, Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks, Antony Ressler, Free Agency, Quin Snyder, Trade, Uncategorized, Antony Ressler, Free Agency, Quin Snyder, Trade, Kyle Korver, Landry Fields, Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks, Michael Malone on Nikola Jokic: If you watch that game [vs Grizzlies] and you say hes a negative defender or a poor defender, Id like you to pee in a cup, OK? pic.twitter.com/MVUTnwDeju, Michael Malone, Ja Morant, Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets, Memphis Grizzlies, Jimmy Butler on Julius Randles winning three-pointer: He had been making those shots all game, man. The most noteworthy performance of his career came last season when the Phoenix Suns reached the NBA finals, a first for Ayton. [59] Following a 129115 victory in Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals over the Spurs, the Warriors reached their third straight NBA Finals series while becoming the first team in league history to start the playoffs 120.
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