The importance of having a veteran’s presence in any team cannot be emphasized enough. Having gone through the ups and downs of holding a franchise’s fate in their palms, the veterans help youngsters navigate through turbulent times. During an appearance on the 7 PM in Brooklyn podcast, Andre Iguodala talked about how Allen Iverson mentored him early in his career. The Golden State Warriors icon also spoke about the advice he got from AI that helped him prepare for the media’s wrath.
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The four-time NBA champion said that during his early days in the league, he used to be someone who would read the newspaper every day. For Iguodala, it was a way to keep himself updated. However, Iverson, his teammate for two seasons in Philadelphia, advised him to avoid reading or watching the news. Iguodala said,
“I’m like, I’m reading all the paper. I ain’t just reading sports and he’s like, ‘Man, stop reading it’. Boy was he right! He was like, ‘These people gonna turn on you.'”
Having gone through the uncomfortable experience of being hyped up by the media before being heavily scrutinized, Iverson ensured that Iguodala didn’t go through the same ordeal.
Iguodala also revealed the major culture shock he and Iverson experienced after they moved from the 76ers to the Denver Nuggets. The 40-year-old said that in Philadelphia, the team didn’t own a gym facility and they believed every team in the NBA rented a place for their players to practice. He said,
“[Allen Iverson] went to Denver first and he’s like, “Oh man, we got a practice facility? We aint renting a gym?’ In Philly we didn’t have our own gym. We trained at a osteopathic medicine college… Then you go to another team, wait, hold on, this is how the setup is supposed to be? Y’all get breakfast…y’all get parking spots?”
Being traded to the Nuggets was a life-changing experience for Iguodala. He quickly learned the difference between how teams aiming to win a championship and franchises not built to hoist the Larry O’Brien trophy operated.
Things got even better when he joined the Warriors in the 2013 offseason. Iguodala, having played and learned under Iverson’s tutelage, quickly became the leader of the young and promising roster. He’d win four championships in two stints with the Warriors and the Finals MVP in 2015.
He’ll undoubtedly have his jersey retired and raised in the rafters at the Chase Center for his impeccable leadership, a trait he learned from Iverson.
