Andre Iguodala is a four-time NBA champion, Finals MVP, and former All-Star.
But just because his career ended with lots of success doesn’t mean it started smoothly.
His first few years were spent with the Philadelphia 76ers and Iguodala doesn’t believe that team was set up to find victory.
Speaking to “The Old Man & The Three,” Iguodala said Philadelphia’s front office wasn’t doing right by the team.
“I didn’t realize till I left that the [Sixers] organization wasn’t trying to win…but they’re mad at the players for going out there trying to get their numbers,” Iguodala said.
Andre Iguodala:
“I didn’t realize till I left that the [Sixers] organization wasn’t trying to win… but they’re mad at the players for going out there trying to get their numbers.”
(via @OldManAndThree, https://t.co/1uvPKDyDdX) pic.twitter.com/rVu9YxLyHN
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) September 21, 2023
Back then, the 76ers were in a very tricky spot.
In the mid-2000s, they were still looking for a new identity and were years away from the Eastern Conference prominence they have now.
As for Iguodala, he was playing his heart out.
During his time there, he averaged 15.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 4.9 assists.
But he eventually grew unhappy there and eventually parted ways with the team in 2012-13.
It was only then that he truly realized that the team wasn’t being handled well and that real victory in the postseason was out of reach.
In the years since that, the Sixers have changed in some major ways.
They ended last season as the third-best team in the East and have a slew of great talent, including reigning MVP Joel Embiid.
Still, they haven’t gone all the way to the Finals in years.
Iguodala would eventually find his way to the Golden State Warriors, a team that was definitely built to win.
And they did just that, bringing Iguodala his four championship rings.
NEXT: Brian Windhorst Says 76ers Could Go After 1 Clippers Star
