Pippen 2.0: Andre Iguodala Could Be the NBA's Most Underrated Player
The name Scottie Pippen has become synonymous with the perfect complementary player. The utility player. The Mr. Do-It-All. The Glue Guy.
Pippen was the perfect supplement to Michael Jordan's dominance. At 6'7", he could handle the ball, distribute to teammates, defend, rebound and, every once in awhile, score when needed. As a tribute to his skills during the 1996-97 season, Scottie Maurice Pippen was named one of the NBA's top 50 all-time players.
The question is, what would a Scottie Pippen-caliber player look like without a Michael Jordan. He might look something like the Philadelphia 76er's Andre Iguodala.
"The Other A.I." has been a fixture in the Philly lineup since being selected ninth out of the University of Arizona in the 2004 NBA draft. The 6'6" swingman has come under scrutiny in the last few seasons since he signed a six year, $80 million contract with the Sixers back in 2008.
The sentiment has been, "Andre Iguodala is not worth that much of a financial commitment." Is this fair? Let's take a look...
Andre Tyler Iguodala was drafted with the expectations of being a top-notch defensive player in the NBA. Blessed with elite athleticism, arms that extended to forever and a motor that never quit, "Iggy" was primed to be the perfect complement to the prolific scoring machine, Allen Iverson.
Iguodala didn't disappoint. His 9.0 ppg, 5.7 rpg and 3 ast apg in 82 games as a rookie showcased his versatility and durability in his inaugural season and earned him All-Rookie honors in 2005.
Iverson, however, was on his own agenda. He clashed with coach Larry Brown and was shipped 15 games Andre's second season. The move pushed the 22-year-old Iguodala into the No. 1 scoring option role, a role he was never drafted to fill.
The results were mixed. While Iguodala increased his production in year two to 12.3 ppg, 5.8 rpg and over 3 apg, the Sixers missed the playoffs. In 2007, Iggy made a significant jump in production averaging 18.2 ppg, 5.7 rpg and 5.7 apg. Miscast at the No. 1 offensive weapon for the Philly attack, Andre shone as the bright spot in the City of Brotherly.
Iggy had a terrific season, ranking fourth in steals per game at 2.0. While many questioned his offensive potential, Iguodala forced the issue getting the the free throw line a surprising 7.3 times per game while converting 82 percent at the stripe.
He was able to push the Sixers into the playoffs for the first time since the original A.I. left town. His performance led Philly executives to sign Andre to a five-year, $80 million contract.
The following season has proven to be his best season to date. Andre Iguodala ended the season averaging 19.9 ppg, 5.4 rpg and 4.8 rpg while guiding the Sixers to their second consecutive playoff berth.
Andre was spectacular in the 2009 playoffs, averaging over 21 ppg, 6 apg and 6 rpg while pushing the Finals bound Orlando Magic to six exhilarating games in the first round.
Since the the 2009 playoffs, however, Igudala's numbers have seen a noticeable dip. His scoring average dropped to 17.1 in 2010 and 14.1 last season. This past post-season, Andre average 11.4 ppg, well below his 14.3 career playoff average, and bowed out in five games to a clearly superior Miami Heat squad.
Andre Iguodala has been linked to multiple trade rumors, as many have felt he hasn't lived up to his hefty contract. The question is, "where has Andre Iguodala disappointed?"
He was drafted as a sidekick, but was trusted into a lead role out of pure circumstance. The best player Iguodala has played with was Allen Iverson, who who clearly had one foot out of Philly's door.
That being said, Andre helped the Sixers to four playoffs appearances in his seven-year career. Two of the four playoffs, he was clearly the best player on an inept team.
This past season, continued his spectacular all-around play averaging 5.8 rpg and 6.3 apg. The athletic swingman was also named to his first All-Defense team.
Maybe the most impressive statistic for the 27-year-old point forward was a 3.06 assist to turnover ratio. That number ranked him 10th in the NBA this past season.
That was far better than All-NBA point guards Russell Westbrook and MVP Derrick Rose. Even the great Scottie Pippen, the "point forward" held as standard, was never as efficient a distributor as Iguodala.
It is very interesting comparing the all-time great Scottie Pippen to the often overlooked Andre Iguodala.
Iguodala: 15.6 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 4.8 apg, 1.8 spg. 46.2 fg% 32.3 3p%
Pippen: 16.1 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 5.2 apg, 2.0 spg. 47.3% fg% 32.6 3p%
The raw numbers are are almost identical. The glaring difference...Iguodala has no Michael Jordan.
Andre Iguodala is a proven commodity. He has played 82 games five times in his career and has only missed 21 games in his seven professional season. He is a true two-way player who can literally do everything an NBA swingman is asked to do, plus more.
Having only played with a truly elite player once in his rookie year, Andre Iguodala has been miscast virtually his entire career as a "Michael Jordan." Hopefully, this season will bring change and allow "A.I 2.0" to become the great complementary player he was destined to be.
