Andre Iguodala has officially retired from the NBA after 19 seasons. “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. You want to play at a high level. But then family is a lot. My son is 16 and then two girls. So, [I’m] looking forward to seeing them grow up in those important years," Iguodala told Marc J. Spears of Andscape.
Iguodala was drafted 9th overall by the Sixers in 2004 following two seasons of college ball at Arizona. He stayed in Philly until 2012 before being traded to the Nuggets. However, Iguodala's most successful tenure would come in a six-year tenure with the Warriors. After signing with Golden State in 2013, Iguodala became a core member of the team's late 2010s dynasty. He won four rings alongside Draymond Green and the Splash Brothers. He was a free agent at the time of his retirement, having been released by the Warriors after a second stint with the team between 2021 and 2023.
Iguodala's Retirement Confirms LeBron As League's Oldest Active Player
With Iguodala officially out of the league, LeBron James stands as the league's oldest active player. James will turn 39 a few months into his 21st NBA season. That makes him just the seventh player to reach his 21st season. LeBron being LeBron, he had the perfect reaction when told the news earlier this month. After being asked for his reaction to being the oldest player in the league at a Lakers practice, LeBron briefly screamed before sprinting down the court and smoothly dunking.
Furthermore, James isn't treating this like his final year. He will most likely join Vince Carter as the only players to play 22 seasons thanks to his desire to play at least one season with his son Bronny. With Bronny eligible for the 2024 draft, LeBron will likely hit that historic milestone. However, the question will be if it happens with the Lakers or elsewhere in the NBA.
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