Andre Iguodala chose legacy with return

Andre Iguodala, a professional basketball player with the National Basketball Association's (NBA) Golden State Warriors, speaks during a Bloomberg Television interview during The Players Technology Summit in San Francisco, California, U.S., on Monday, Aug. 14, 2017. Iguodala discussed bridging the gap between sports and technology. Photographer: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Andre Iguodala, a professional basketball player with the National Basketball Association's (NBA) Golden State Warriors, speaks during a Bloomberg Television interview during The Players Technology Summit in San Francisco, California, U.S., on Monday, Aug. 14, 2017. Iguodala discussed bridging the gap between sports and technology. Photographer: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Golden State Warriors forward Andre Iguodala chose to add on to an incredible legacy by staying with the team in free agency.

Besides the re-signing of Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry by the Golden State Warriors in free agency, the biggest move was keeping Andre Iguodala. While everyone knew their two superstars were going to stay, there was no guarantee Iguodala was going to.

With many teams wanting to lure him away in an attempt to fracture Golden State, he ultimately decided to stay. By doing so, Iguodala decided that he was going to add on to what is a growing legacy in the bay area.

In the two NBA Finals that have resulted in championships for the Warriors, Iguodala has played a key role. He was NBA Finals MVP in 2015 and once again played a big role having to take on LeBron James this year.

Needless to say, the Warriors’ championship total might look a lot different if he wasn’t on the roster. With two rings to his name already, he could have easily decided to just head somewhere else and really cash in.

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Now, he still got a ton of money from Golden State and got very fair to what the market was likely offering in that regard. Still, it’s not out of the realm of possibility that there was a little to be made for him.

Nonetheless, the decision to stay only adds to his legacy. With plenty of accolades to his name already, Iguodala is already a bay area legend and has a chance to pile on with more rings if the team plays as they’re expected to.

Legacy is everything for a pro athlete and he’s already created a great one. Had he decided to leave, nothing would have torn down what he has built for himself. By staying however, he has the opportunity to to make it that much greater.

To have two championships and an NBA Finals MVP is pretty remarkable. If he finishes his career with four or five championships and that MVP, his career is going to be thought of in a much different light.

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At that point, rings alone are going to carry his name into a different conversation. He hasn’t just been along for the ride either. He has made key plays that have helped contribute to the success that his team has had.