Andre Tyler Iguodala was born in Springfield, Illinois, the son of Linda Shanklin.  His older brother, Frank, played for Lake Land College in Mattoon, Illinois, and Dayton.

His mother is African American, while his father is Nigerian.

Iguodala was selected 9th overall in the 2004 NBA draft by the Philadelphia 76ers.

When Iguodala was selected, ESPN personality Dick Vitale commented that it was a mistake for the Sixers to take him, saying

Iguodala used this as motivation in what proved to be a very productive rookie season.

Iguodala was thrust into the starting lineup immediately and was the only 76er to play and start all 82 regular-season games plus 5 playoff games, becoming a favorite target of Allen Iverson in the process, often connecting on highlight-reel dunks on passes or alley-oops from Iverson.

Iguodala proved his versatility, as he was the only rookie and 76er to record a triple-double that season, doing it against the defending champion Detroit Pistons.

In the game, he scored 10 points, caught 10 rebounds and dished out 10 assists. During the season, he averaged 9 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3 assists, 1.7 steals, and 32.8 minutes per game.

His efforts were rewarded when he was named to the All-Rookie First Team and started on the rookie team during the Rookie Challenge portion of All-Star Weekend.

He finished fourth in voting for NBA Rookie of the Year.

“There are a lot of ups and downs with traveling and the misconceptions that come with being Andre Iguodala a professional athlete.

There are a lot of rumors, and you get caught up in so many ways.

You become a target for so many negative things,” he says.

“It can throw you off your game not just on the court but off the court as well. You need balance and something to keep you grounded.”

It is Iguodala’s faith, learned at an early age from his grandmother, who took him to church, that sustains him and keeps him focused amid the media frenzy.

“Faith is something I heavily lean on to give me that balance. I make sure I stay in chapel and have a good relationship with our chaplain.

It keeps me focused,” he adds.

He has enjoyed chapels during the London Games focusing on the players’ opportunities to be “salt and light” to those around them.

“When people see us on the court, we want them to see God’s work. We want to be a good representation of what we believe in,” he says. “When you go out there, you’re not just representing your country or the NBA, you’re representing your beliefs. You want to play hard for someone who died for you.”

Iguodala says that faith shows in his reactions on the court and his work ethic.

He says the believers on Team USA set standards high and play with integrity as they represent Christ.

The chapel services held regularly help solidify their friendship and teamwork.

“That trust factor has helped create a close bond with my teammates who are regulars at chapel. It helps us on the court because we feel like we’re brothers,” he says.

Trust is not easy in a world fraught with contract negotiations, trade talks and issues with coaches and others.

But Iguodala says having a chaplain to be a sounding board he can trust has been key to working through situations and relying on God.

He notes that his relationship with the chaplain at the University of Arizona helped him return to his faith roots, and the NBA transition was made easier by teammates who encouraged him to attend team chapels as well.

“I got pretty close with those guys, and I got back on track,” he says. “The last few years have really been good for me.”

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Iguodala is a tech investor and a leading advocate for athletes in the NBA to invest in the technology industry.

His partnership with entrepreneurs in San Francisco’s Silicon Valley has led to an annual event tagged Players Technology Summit.

The inaugural edition of the event began in 2017 where Iguodala and teammate Stephen Curry played hosts.

The second edition saw other athletes from the NBA like Kevin Durant and Jaylen Brown make debuts.

The Players Technology Summit, sponsored by Bloomberg, was established as a platform to set a discourse and help shape conversations for athletes’ financial future through opportunities in the technology industry.

Together with partner Rudy Cline-Thomas, Iguodala has been able to invest in companies like Facebook, Twitter, and Tesla. The two have also invested in at least 25 different startups in the technology industry.

Iguodala is a Venture Partner in the Catalyst Fund, which invests in underrepresented founders and entrepreneurs of tech companies.

NEW YORK, NY, November 9, 2023 – The Executive Committee of the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) announced today that it is appointing Andre Iguodala as the union’s Acting Executive Director.

Iguodala is replacing Tamika Tremaglio, who had served in the role since January 2021, and is stepping down from the position to pursue new opportunities after successfully leading the Union through the latest round of collective bargaining with the League earlier this year. Iguodala and Tremaglio will be working closely during this transition period.

Andre steps into the Acting Executive Director role after spending over a decade of his playing career on the Executive Committee.

In addition to his work on the Committee, Andre has led multiple successful business ventures in his career off the court. With this experience, Iguodala is well-positioned to have an immediate impact in his role and work in tandem with the other members of the EC.

“I am honored to take on this role and serve the players, who are the heart and soul of the NBA,” said Iguodala. “I’m presented with a unique opportunity to take all that I’ve learned as a player over the course of my 19-year career and apply it to creating an even stronger and more influential union for current and future generations of players. I am thrilled to work alongside our extremely committed Executive Committee to lead the brotherhood through its next stage of advancement and development.”

“Having a former player lead as Executive Director of the union is an exciting proposition,” said CJ McCollum, NBPA President. “We thank Tamika for her service and leadership throughout the CBA process and are thrilled to welcome Andre as Acting Executive Director.”

“I am extremely proud of what we accomplished together in collective bargaining and over the past two years as a whole. With a new CBA in place, I am ready to move on from this role and pursue other opportunities,” said Tremaglio. “I am grateful to CJ, Andre, the entire Executive Committee, and all of the players for the opportunity to serve them these past few years. I’m confident that Andre will flourish in this role and continue to empower the players and this union to reach their full potential.”