06-28-2004, 08:30 PM
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#1 (permalink)
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Kwisatz Haderach
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Coatesville, PA
Age: 25
Posts: 24,078
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Sixers plan to start Iguodala out as roleplayer..
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Philadelphia coach Jim O'Brien said Iguodala reminded him of former UA star Richard Jefferson, who was also a relatively undistinguished scorer as a Wildcat.
Jefferson was also only the fourth-leading scorer for Arizona in his third and final season of 2000-01, averaging 11.3 points a game while making 34.4 percent of his three-pointers.
"I remember studying Richard Jefferson when he was coming out. … He wasn't a 20-point scorer; he was in the low teens as a matter of fact," O'Brien said during a news conference in Philadelphia on Friday. When I was looking at Andre, I didn't see 20-point scoring but a guy who can distribute the basketball, can defend, can rebound, can finish. You're looking at a well-rounded basketball player with intelligence and a work ethic."
Jefferson's scoring average has moved up in each of his three seasons in the NBA - he was the Nets' leading scorer with 18.5 points per game last season - and he jumped from 25 percent to 36.4 percent from behind the NBA's expanded three-point line this season.
Likewise, O'Brien indicated, Iguodala has the ability to become a better shooter as his NBA career progresses. Iguodala already demonstrated a shooting touch in a private workout Tuesday that appeared to clinch his selection, O'Brien said.
"Our whole scouting department, all of our coaches, thought his stroke looked good the other day when they worked him out," O'Brien said. "He had great rotation on the ball, good hand position, good concentration, so I don't think it will be a dramatic step up for him to be able to become a very solid outside shooter."
In the meantime, Iguodala may need to be a role player. Sixers GM Billy King said Iguodala will be a good fit for the more athletic team he is trying to build and there is not much doubt that Iguodala's pass-first mentality is a good thing to have around when Iverson is on the floor.
"It's a good situation for me to go to," Iguodala told Philadelphia reporters. "I can be a good complementary player to AI (Iverson), and they have good finishers with (Samuel) Dalembert and (Kenny) Thomas."
Those who know Iguodala believe he will be a good fit, too.
"Andre's willing to be a role player," said former UA player Corey Williams, who is running the Tucson Summer Pro League at the Jewish Community Center. "He's never going to complain about shots. He comes from a great program and knows how to create his own shots plus he knows how to create for other people."
In essence, said UA associate head coach Jim Rosborough, Iguodala "doesn't need points to be effective."
Nobody knows the value of Iguodala's ball-sharing better than Adams, who had a strong on-court chemistry with him during their two years together with the Wildcats. Adams said he is certain Iguodala will play hard in whatever role Philadelphia requires and can only hope to join him in the NBA soon.
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Originally Posted by Henry Rollins
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Sixers plan to start Iguodala out as roleplayer..
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