What Andre Iguodala honestly said to Jordan Paul after the Warriors trade appeared in the original Bay Area Sports NBC
Jordan Paul He is no longer in the WarriorsBut his former teammates have high expectations for the promising young keeper next season.
Veteran forward Andre Iguodala, who mentored Paul during the Warriors’ 24-year-old career, believes that despite what people might think, Paul had a solid 2022-23 season with Golden State. And Iguodala is sure Paul will top this performance in his first season with the Washington Wizards.
“He averaged 20 last year, in a bad year. He’s going to come to the line. He’s the only one to come to the line for us last year consistently,” Iguodala said on the Giles Arena podcast. “People act like it’s been a bad year. I’m like, ‘Okay, bad year?'” They blamed it on the year we had it last year and it averaged 20. (would be average) 25+, easy, would hit the line.
“And then at home you have to give him a whistle on the house, and he’ll average 30 at home. And it’s Chocolate City, so you know who’s going to be in the stands, they’ve got all the memes. Every time a bad chick sees it, it’ll hit 40.”
He sees another former teammate, Golden State sniper Klay Thompson All possible stars for Paul.
But it takes more than talent to be successful in the NBA, and Iguodala isn’t one to wear anything. Iguodala knew it was difficult for Paul to shine in a team consisting of Steve Curry, Thompson, Draymond Green and Andrew Wiggins. So when Paul was shipped to Washington, D.C in a popular trade That brought future Hall of Fame guard Chris Paul to bay, Iguodala kept it real with the young guard.
The four-time champion told Paul that he had to grow up now that he had “his own team,” and that being the face of the franchise comes with a lot of responsibility. In the Golden State, that wasn’t something he necessarily had to worry about, but with The Wizards, it’s a completely different story.
Iguodala, who remains in frequent contact with Paul, said he has already noticed a difference.
“He’s really starting to take the right steps,” Iguodala said. “I’d heard about what he was doing with his teammates. The other day, I was asking him about his teammates, and he knew everything about every single one of them. And I’m like ‘Okay, now we’re starting on the right track.'”
“He brought them all to L.A. He did! He drives.”
Iguodala is one of the team’s leaders for a reason, and the players and coaches have a lot of respect for him. And although he is no longer on the same coast, Iguodala will continue to advise Paul from afar. And if Paul keeps listening, great things could be in store for him.