sports stars: andre iguodala American professional basketball star

Iguodala attended high school at Lanphier High School in Springfield, Illinois, leading the team as a senior to a runner-up finish at the Illinois High School Association Class AA state tournament in the 2002 season. That season, he averaged 23.5 points, 7.8 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game. He was named Chicago Sun-Times Player of the Year. During the summer of 2000, he grabbed the attention of coaches around the nation as he was named the AAU national tournament Most Valuable Player after hitting the game-winning shot at the final buzzer to give his team the 17-and-under national title.
Iguodala was selected 9th overall in the 2004 NBA Draft by the Philadelphia 76ers. When Iguodala was selected, ESPN personality Dick Vitale commented that it was a mistake for the Sixers to take him, saying "Iguodala was a [27 percent] shooter from the college three-point line. He's not going to be able to play," Iguodala used this as motivation as what proved to be a very productive rookie season.[2] 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. Andre Iguodala proved his versatility as he was the only rookie and 76er to record a triple-double that season, averaging 9 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1.7 steals per game. His efforts were rewarded when he was named to the All-Rookie First Team and started on the rookie team during the Rookie Challenge portion of All-Star Weekend.[3][4] Until February 2005, Iguodala wore jersey #4, but allowed newly-acquired 76ers member, Chris Webber, to wear it instead. Chris Webber then bought Iguodala a Rolex watch as a thank you present for allowing him to wear the number #4.
Iguodala developed into more of a primary player in the 08-09 season, becoming more active as both a facilitator on offense and a leader of his team. In his last year with co-captain, Andre Miller, they brought Philadelphia to another playoff berth, finishing the season with a 41-41 (.500) season record, 6th in the Eastern conference. In Game 1, the Magic had an 18-point lead in the fourth quarter, but the Sixers made an amazing comeback led by Andre Iguodala, eventually scoring a jumper with 2.2 seconds remaining to give the Sixers the win. Unfortunately, the Sixers eventually fell to the Magic in the Playoffs, failing to reach the second round. Iguodala averaged 18.8 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game through 82 games.