Stephen Curry, Steve Kerr celebrate 4x NBA champion's jersey retirement with touching words

The Golden State Warriors celebrated one of their most influential players,Andre Iguodala, by retiring his iconic No. 9 jersey on Sunday night. While the team faced off against the Dallas Mavericks, the evening was also been in the highlight as the team have poured heartfelt tribute from Warriors star Stephen Curryand head coach Steve Kerr.
Iguodala, who officially retired from basketball in October 2023, was an integral part of the Warriors’ history, winning four NBA championships with the team. Most notably, he earned the NBA Finals MVP award in 2015 for his stellar defense against LeBron James and timely offensive contributions.

As the Golden State Warriors prepared to honor Andre Iguodala, head coach Steve Kerr took a moment to recall a humorous yet telling moment that revealed Iguodala’s value to the team. “I remember a game where Steph and Klay hit five straight threes, and you’re over there like, ‘What are we doing?’ You’re hanging your head, so I take a timeout, walk over to you, and say, ‘Drey, are you okay? What’s the matter?’” Kerr said with a smile. “And you go, ‘Steph is crazy!’ I tell you, ‘I know he’s crazy, and Draymond is too—that’s why we need you!’”

Golden State Warriors standout Stephen Curry also delivered an emotional message, recalling the moment he realized Iguodala saw something special in Golden State. “We talk about our dynasty years, the championships, the Finals MVPs, all the big shots, the big moments—you had them all. The real ones know where it all started,” Curry said.
Curry then remembered Iguodala’s first encounter with him after the 2013 playoff series between the Warriors and the Denver Nuggets. “I remember Game 6 in 2013—you were on the Denver Nuggets. We were the young, scrappy Warriors trying to cement ourselves in the playoffs. We had the fortune of beating you in that series, but the first thing you did after the horn sounded was run across the court and find me,” Curry continued. “I could feel that you saw something. Fast-forward four months later… you were the first one to choose us. And that meant the world to a team trying to figure it out.”
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Iguodala’s decision to join the Warriors in 2013 was a defining moment in the franchise’s history. With his No. 9 jersey now immortalized in the Chase Center rafters, Iguodala joins an elite group of Warriors legends. His legacy is not just about the banners he helped hang but also about the culture he helped establish. As the Warriors honored their four-time champion, Iguodala will always be a Warrior being an irreplaceable part of the rich history of the legacy-enriched team in Bay Area.