Andre Iguodala: I Want NBA Elite Status
A.I.2 Photo. Kelly TursoAndre Iguodala has had a busy summer. Long, drawn out contract negotiations ended with a nice $80 million deal with the Sixers. His squad added Elton Brand and some other free agent pieces and now suddenly find themselves back in the mix in the Eastern Conference. We caught up with Andre for a few quick minutes to talk about his team, his summer workouts and getting robbed in the 2006 Dunk Contest…
Dime: As training camp approaches, how are you feeling about your game and the Sixers makeup in general?
Andre iguodala: I feel like when we’re winning and the way we finished off the season, I think I kind of proved myself and showed what I can do on the court taking the team to the playoffs. And we were expected to finish like last in the League period, and then getting in the playoffs was huge.
Whenever I’m on the court I feel we got the best team. This year I think we have great shot at getting deep into the playoffs. Now we’re just trying to get to the Finals. Like I said, I’m getting ready to play right now. I’ve been ready for months now. As soon as the season is over with I’m back in the gym just getting ready for next year. I think the team made a great move bringing in Elton Brand, I’m just getting ready to play getting ready for the season.
Dime: We always thought you were robbed in the 2006 All-Star Dunk Contest. What are your thoughts on it today?
AI: I forget about it until somebody reminds me, but I do get that question a lot. And it really didn’t bother me. I had fun with it, it was a good experience and the fans enjoyed it.
Dre’s work in the 2006 contest:
Dime: What was your best in-game dunk?
AI: I have no clue. I’ve had a couple of them. I had a dunk against Atlanta; it was an alley-oop. I kinda was jumping behind the backboard and I caught it, my head was behind the backboard. I don’t know, I’ve had a lot.
Dime: What are your summers like?
AI: I just live in the gym. I want to improve and get to that elite level, that elite status in the League and try to be an All-Star and try to improve in parts in my game. I want to raise my game defensively, get better shooting the ball and in general be more of a leader on the team. I pride myself of just trying to improve every year and being able to play every game.
Dime: Any vacation time this summer? Any trips?
AI: No I haven’t done too may trips. I’ve traveled a lot this summer as far as traveling around. I just make sure I get workouts in. I went to Vegas a few times, went to Miami a couple times. Played in Chicago with Shawn Marion this summer working out. Went to Atlanta once. I travel a lot, but I’m mainly in the States.
Dime: You’ve played for a lot of coaches in a relatively short career. What is it like to always be adjusting to new systems?
AI: For me it’s pretty much the same. I feel like every coach wants to win so they’re going to do their best. For me I just try to go out there and we’re all one family so its just one family so it’s just playing hard for any coach whoever I’m with. I feel like there’s no difference in each coach. Coach Olson was really tough on me, trying to get the best out of me, so that made me work a little harder. With Coach O’Brien, my job was to defend, so he wanted me to go out there and defend every night. He let me play as well, as far as letting me shoot the ball. So I feel like I got a lot from him as the far as the Pippen-aspect. With coach Cheeks, he’s pretty much laid back, so he lets me make mistakes and build my confidence as far as I can just go out there and play. I can just play without having to worry about if I do something wrong, I’m going to get pulled.
August 29th, 2008 at 11:49 am
timmy says:
first again!
August 29th, 2008 at 11:50 am
the haters POV says:
AI 2 is going to have a big season…Watch.
August 29th, 2008 at 11:58 am
Tha Boddy says:
Iggy is good but he is a poor mans Caron Butler with more explosiveness.
August 29th, 2008 at 12:11 pm
MoxWestCoastRep says:
Manu needs surgery yall
August 29th, 2008 at 12:17 pm
Kudabeen says:
Poor Man’s who? I love Caron’s game (not his nickname), but I think Dre I has more Game breaker/changer ability and he is 4 years younger. I guess we’ll see this season…
This guy works! He is not going to take the money and get worst. I can’t wait to see if he can shut up all the doubters and become the elite performer that he has always spoke of wanting to be…
August 29th, 2008 at 12:32 pm
eric says:
Iguodala disappeared in the playoffs
playoffs/season:
ppg: 13.2/19.9
fg%: .333/.456
3pt%: .143 /.329
rpg: 4.8/5.4
August 29th, 2008 at 12:33 pm
dapro says:
Iggy is solid but he’s only going to get better. He does seem like the type to work on weakness in his game during the offseason
I can see him attacking the basket more and reading the defensives better
He settled for too many jumpers against Detriot
August 29th, 2008 at 12:42 pm
Batman says:
I think playing second fiddle to Brand will help him grow a lot. He might not have been ready to fully take over when Iverson left, now Brand should brunt all of the attention from the fans/media/opposing teams and Iguodala can learn and get better and his growing pains won’t be scrutinized so much.
August 29th, 2008 at 12:44 pm
weezy f says:
hey dime since ginobli needs surgery do you think hes startin on the decline of his career…i think so
August 29th, 2008 at 12:50 pm
johnny says:
@eric
Thanks to Tay and the Pistons!
August 29th, 2008 at 12:50 pm
Kudabeen says:
Really He had a bad playoff series against Detroit, with their defense keyed on him? That is proof that he is a straight bum. He is no better than Mo Evans than…
Sarcasm aside:
It’s lame to take his first appearance in the playoffs against a team that is consistently one of the best defensive teams, with a guy (Prince) that is the best defender for guys whose game doesn’t extend past the three point line…Dre I’s first experience as That Dude in a playoff series wasn’t a great showing, but for a reason. We’ll see how much he wants it when he gets another chance. I remember another player that had a horrible playoff series before against a Top level defense (Kobe vs Detroit in 2004 and vs Boston 2008). Defense rules…Yes he Struggled on offense, but he did make plays for others and continued to play good D.
Yeah I’m a homer…
August 29th, 2008 at 12:56 pm
Ian says:
hes good but caron is better annd not even close to me
August 29th, 2008 at 12:58 pm
Ian says:
to me hes gonna be kg type of player (not skills wise) that hell need a couple of teammates as good or even better than him (pierce was the man in the playoffs)if he will win
August 29th, 2008 at 12:58 pm
Ian says:
im a spurs fan and all but no healthy manu no ring
August 29th, 2008 at 1:44 pm
tommy the cat says:
tommy the cat: i want to be nba elite status
August 29th, 2008 at 1:45 pm
tommy the cat says:
regrettably, i don’t think it’s going to happen.
August 29th, 2008 at 2:39 pm
Jack says:
I’VE BEEN HARD ON DRE AND DIDNT THINK HE WAS EVER GOING 2 DEVELOP INTO A GREAT PLAYER BUT THE KG COMPARISON IS GOOD. KG WAS GOOD ENOUGH 2 WILL HIS TEAM 2 THE PLAYOFFS WITH NO SUPPORTING CAST BUT THEN WOULD GET BOUNCED IN THE FIRST ROUND EVERY YEAR. BUT WHEN HE HAD SPREE AND SAM AND THEN THIS YEAR IN BOSTON HE WAS ABLE 2 FOCUS ON THE THINGS HE DOES WELL AND NOT WORRY ABOUT SCORING 40 A NIGHT. I CAN SEE IGUODOLA AS A PLAYER (LIKE KG) THAT DOESN’T NEED 2 SCORE 2 HELP HIS TEAM WIN. I THINK THE SIXERS WILL STILL SURPRISE TEAMS THIS YEAR AND GET A TOP 3 SEED IN THE EAST..ALSO DRE IS ABOUT 2 HAVE THE SICKEST HOUSE IN PHILLY
August 29th, 2008 at 3:42 pm
Ian the statboy says:
jack
ty
August 29th, 2008 at 4:01 pm
GEE...Chicken Noodle Soup says:
One of them watch me in the season and watch me dissappear in the playoffs dudes. He’s a wanker!
August 29th, 2008 at 5:25 pm
Young Lebron 23 says:
Mark my words: IGGY WILL BE AN NBA ALL STAR THIS YEAR. I think that Brand will take a huge load off of him. If he improves his decison-making (too many jumpshots off the dribble) and jumpshot we in the FINALS. THAT’S RIGHT. FINALSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!
August 29th, 2008 at 9:41 pm
doc says:
All Star?I’ll believe it when I see it.I hope I do though.
August 30th, 2008 at 5:21 am
K-Pax says:
More on Andre Iguodala training:
http://www.squidoo.com/AI2
September 1st, 2008 at 6:25 pm
Jojo the Retarded Dunce Boy says:
23rd stttttttt! Yessssst…. yessst… I luvz this game!