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USA Today
15-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
What was the Rams best NFL draft class? Analyst says it happened in the 1940s
What was the Rams best NFL draft class? Analyst says it happened in the 1940s The Los Angeles Rams have had a lot of good draft classes in their franchise's history. The 2024 group is among the best of the most recent NFL classes, while the 2023 class of Puka Nacua, Byron Young and Kobie Turner is also elite. The Rams also had a ton of incredible classes in the 1970s, 80s and 90s that shepherded in successful eras in the team's history. But Sports Illustrated's Gilberto Manzano went back even further to find the Rams' top class. He picked the team's 1945 class as the franchise's best group ever because of the two Hall-of-Famers taken: Elroy Hirsch in the first round and Tom Fears in the 11th round. "The then-Cleveland Rams used a first-round pick on Elroy 'Crazylegs' Hirsch, who led the NFL with 66 receptions, 1,495 receiving yards and 17 touchdowns in 1951," Manzano wrote. "Hirsch, a Wisconsin native, quickly turned Hollywood after the team moved to Los Angeles, becoming an actor and starring in his own biopic, the '53 film 'Crazylegs.' In the 11th round, the Rams took Tom Fears, who was born in Guadalajara, Mexico, before his family moved to Southern California." While the Rams have drafted a lot of Hall of Fame players during the history of the franchise, this is the only one with two players in Canton. The Rams went 9-1 that season and won the NFL Championship Game. The group went to three consecutive championship starting in 1949 and won again in 1951. Here is the full list of drafted players from 1945:
CBS News
24-02-2025
- Sport
- CBS News
Andre Iguodala, the 2015 NBA Finals MVP and 4 time champion, has number retired by Warriors
When Andre Iguodala signed with the Golden Warriors in 2013, there was no guarantee that he'd be part of a dynasty. Stephen Curry was not yet an All-Star, and Klay Thompson and Draymond Green were just starting their careers. As it turned out, Iguodala's sacrifices and foresight contributed to four championships, highlighted by an NBA Finals MVP win in 2015, when he led the Warriors to their first title in four decades. On Sunday, they honored Iguodala by retiring his No. 9 and raising his jersey to the rafters at Chase Center. "It's been a wild journey, but it's been a beautiful blessing," Iguodala said in his speech. Iguodala became the seventh player to have his number retired by the franchise. He joined Rick Barry (24), Wilt Chamberlain (13), Nate Thurmond (42), Al Attles (16), Chris Mullin (17) and Tom Meschery (14). Iguodala already had an accomplished career before joining the Warriors. He had established himself as a defensive stalwart and everyday starter over nine seasons. In Golden State, he assumed the role of providing veteran leadership, recognizing the talent he had around him. "You sacrificed ego for excellence," Curry said during Sunday's ceremony. Curry said Iguodala unlocked confidence, intelligence and maturity for an up-and-coming team, adding that he went from being the face of the franchise with the Philadelphia 76ers to the "glue" with the Warriors that "made it all work." "He wanted to join what was happening, because he saw how special it was," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said before Sunday's 126-102 win over the Dallas Mavericks. "That was a coup. I mean, the Warriors weren't exactly getting a lot of free agents. So to sign Andre was obviously one of the key moves to this whole thing." Iguodala was 30 in his first season with the Warriors and had never come off the bench in 10 seasons. When Kerr took over the team the following year, Iguodala agreed to take a bench role. He called it a "great, unique situation" and said that Curry, Thompson and Green made it easy on him. "It's rare in professional sports to see a guy that's kind of still in his prime kind of take a back seat, or actually willingly move out the way for the up-and-coming guys," The 41-year-old Iguodala said before the game. That resulted in a championship run in 2015, with Iguodala becoming the first player to win NBA Finals MVP after not starting every game in the series. It was Kerr who trusted Iguodala to perform on the big stage and moved him into the starting lineup trailing 2-1 to the Cavaliers in the 2015 Finals and gave him the assignment of guarding then-Cleveland star LeBron James. He averaged 16.3 points, 4.0 assists and 5.8 rebounds as the Warriors beat the Cavaliers in six games. "That was the ultimate validation of everything I've always believed in the game, and I do think other people recognize that," Kerr said. "It wasn't lost on anyone, the sacrifice and the success and everything that kind of happened together." Iguodala was the No. 9 pick in the 2004 NBA draft out of Arizona and played in 1,231 career games. He spent eight seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers, one in Denver, six with the Warriors, two in Miami and returned to Golden State for his last two seasons. He was part of NBA championships in 2015, '17, '18 and 2022. Iguodala said the Warriors' core had a drive to keep going, especially after winning the first championship. "When we won the first one, it was almost like we had to do it again to prove that it wasn't a fluke," Iguodala said. "And then, once you win the second one, you're like, 'Alright, we've got to do it again because nobody can touch us. And we've got to do it again because we're supposed to do it again.'" He added: "That's just the unique characteristics of great athletes, the ones who are never satisfied. That was in the DNA of every individual, and it just bred into the fabric of the organization."
Yahoo
24-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Andre Iguodala has his number retired by the Warriors as a winner of an NBA Finals MVP and 4 titles
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — When Andre Iguodala signed with the Golden Warriors in 2013, there was no guarantee that he'd be part of a dynasty. Stephen Curry was not yet an All-Star, and Klay Thompson and Draymond Green were just starting their careers. As it turned out, Iguodala's sacrifices and foresight contributed to four championships, highlighted by an NBA Finals MVP win in 2015, when he led the Warriors to their first title in four decades. On Sunday, they honored Iguodala by retiring his No. 9 and raising his jersey to the rafters at Chase Center. 'It's been a wild journey, but it's been a beautiful blessing,' Iguodala said in his speech. Iguodala became the seventh player to have his number retired by the franchise. He joined Rick Barry (24), Wilt Chamberlain (13), Nate Thurmond (42), Al Attles (16), Chris Mullin (17) and Tom Meschery (14). Iguodala already had an accomplished career before joining the Warriors. He had established himself as a defensive stalwart and everyday starter over nine seasons. In Golden State, he assumed the role of providing veteran leadership, recognizing the talent he had around him. 'You sacrificed ego for excellence,' Curry said during Sunday's ceremony. Curry said Iguodala unlocked confidence, intelligence and maturity for an up-and-coming team, adding that he went from being the face of the franchise with the Philadelphia 76ers to the 'glue' with the Warriors that 'made it all work.' 'He wanted to join what was happening, because he saw how special it was,' Warriors coach Steve Kerr said before Sunday's 126-102 win over the Dallas Mavericks. 'That was a coup. I mean, the Warriors weren't exactly getting a lot of free agents. So to sign Andre was obviously one of the key moves to this whole thing.' Iguodala was 30 in his first season with the Warriors and had never come off the bench in 10 seasons. When Kerr took over the team the following year, Iguodala agreed to take a bench role. He called it a 'great, unique situation' and said that Curry, Thompson and Green made it easy on him. 'It's rare in professional sports to see a guy that's kind of still in his prime kind of take a back seat, or actually willingly move out the way for the up-and-coming guys,' The 41-year-old Iguodala said before the game. That resulted in a championship run in 2015, with Iguodala becoming the first player to win NBA Finals MVP after not starting every game in the series. It was Kerr who trusted Iguodala to perform on the big stage and moved him into the starting lineup trailing 2-1 to the Cavaliers in the 2015 Finals and gave him the assignment of guarding then-Cleveland star LeBron James. He averaged 16.3 points, 4.0 assists and 5.8 rebounds as the Warriors beat the Cavaliers in six games. 'That was the ultimate validation of everything I've always believed in the game, and I do think other people recognize that,' Kerr said. 'It wasn't lost on anyone, the sacrifice and the success and everything that kind of happened together.' Iguodala was the No. 9 pick in the 2004 NBA draft out of Arizona and played in 1,231 career games. He spent eight seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers, one in Denver, six with the Warriors, two in Miami and returned to Golden State for his last two seasons. He was part of NBA championships in 2015, '17, '18 and 2022. Iguodala said the Warriors' core had a drive to keep going, especially after winning the first championship. 'When we won the first one, it was almost like we had to do it again to prove that it wasn't a fluke,' Iguodala said. 'And then, once you win the second one, you're like, 'Alright, we've got to do it again because nobody can touch us. And we've got to do it again because we're supposed to do it again.'' He added: 'That's just the unique characteristics of great athletes, the ones who are never satisfied. That was in the DNA of every individual, and it just bred into the fabric of the organization.' ___ AP NBA:
Associated Press
24-02-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Andre Iguodala has his number retired by the Warriors as a winner of an NBA Finals MVP and 4 titles
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — When Andre Iguodala signed with the Golden Warriors in 2013, there was no guarantee that he'd be part of a dynasty. Stephen Curry was not yet an All-Star, and Klay Thompson and Draymond Green were just starting their careers. As it turned out, Iguodala's sacrifices and foresight contributed to four championships, highlighted by an NBA Finals MVP win in 2015, when he led the Warriors to their first title in four decades. On Sunday, they honored Iguodala by retiring his number and raising his jersey to the rafters at Chase Center. 'It's been a wild journey, but it's been a beautiful blessing,' Iguodala said in his speech. Iguodala became the seventh player to have his number retired by the franchise. He joined Rick Barry (24), Wilt Chamberlain (13), Nate Thurmond (42), Al Attles (16), Chris Mullin (17) and Tom Meschery (14). Iguodala already had an accomplished career before joining the Warriors. He had established himself as a defensive stalwart and everyday starter over nine seasons. In Golden State, he assumed the role of providing veteran leadership, recognizing the talent he had around him. 'You sacrificed ego for excellence,' Curry said during Sunday's ceremony. Curry said Iguodala unlocked confidence, intelligence and maturity for an up-and-coming team, adding that he went from being the face of the franchise with the Philadelphia 76ers to the 'glue' with the Warriors that 'made it all work.' 'He wanted to join what was happening, because he saw how special it was,' Warriors coach Steve Kerr said before Sunday's 126-102 win over the Dallas Mavericks. 'That was a coup. I mean, the Warriors weren't exactly getting a lot of free agents. So to sign Andre was obviously one of the key moves to this whole thing.' Iguodala was 30 in his first season with the Warriors and had never come off the bench in 10 seasons. When Kerr took over the team the following year, Iguodala agreed to take a bench role. He called it a 'great, unique situation' and said that Curry, Thompson and Green made it easy on him. 'It's rare in professional sports to see a guy that's kind of still in his prime kind of take a back seat, or actually willingly move out the way for the up-and-coming guys,' The 41-year-old Iguodala said before the game. That resulted in a championship run in 2015, with Iguodala becoming the first player to win NBA Finals MVP after not starting every game in the series. It was Kerr who trusted Iguodala to perform on the big stage and moved him into the starting lineup trailing 2-1 to the Cavaliers in the 2015 Finals and gave him the assignment of guarding then-Cleveland star LeBron James. He averaged 16.3 points, 4.0 assists and 5.8 rebounds as the Warriors beat the Cavaliers in six games. 'That was the ultimate validation of everything I've always believed in the game, and I do think other people recognize that,' Kerr said. 'It wasn't lost on anyone, the sacrifice and the success and everything that kind of happened together.' Iguodala was the No. 9 pick in the 2004 NBA draft out of Arizona and played in 1,231 career games. He spent eight seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers, one in Denver, six with the Warriors, two in Miami and returned to Golden State for his last two seasons. He was part of NBA championships in 2015, '17, '18 and 2022. Iguodala said the Warriors' core had a drive to keep going, especially after winning the first championship. 'When we won the first one, it was almost like we had to do it again to prove that it wasn't a fluke,' Iguodala said. 'And then, once you win the second one, you're like, 'Alright, we've got to do it again because nobody can touch us. And we've got to do it again because we're supposed to do it again.'' He added: 'That's just the unique characteristics of great athletes, the ones who are never satisfied. That was in the DNA of every individual, and it just bred into the fabric of the organization.' ___
Yahoo
28-01-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Warriors to retire Andre Iguodala's No. 9 jersey
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — As Andre Iguodala moves around town in the Bay Area these days, he is regularly stopped by fans eager to praise him for how he carried himself while playing for the Golden State Warriors. For his grit and his drive. For doing all the little things many never saw. Some even share how his example influenced the way they raise their own kids — because that's how much he has meant to big-time basketball both on the court and off it. 'I'm used to getting stopped a lot but now it throws me off because I don't play basketball anymore,' Iguodala said. "You can see a good fan versus a bad fan from a mile away, and so I'm able to see, OK, this is a decent human being, and this is a genuine interaction. I think the folks that I'm running into in the Bay are of high value and morals, and so 99% are really good interactions. 'You walk away feeling a little bit better about yourself, actually, because you realize it's bigger than you.' Now, Iguodala will give them more to celebrate and cheer about. The Warriors announced Tuesday that Iguodala is becoming the seventh player to have his number retired by the franchise — set to join Rick Barry (24), Wilt Chamberlain (13), Nate Thurmond (42), Al Attles (16), Chris Mullin (17) and Tom Meschery (14). Golden State will honor Iguodala and hang his No. 9 jersey following an afternoon game against Dallas on Feb. 23, meaning former teammate Klay Thompson will have the chance to be there. 'Andre will go down as one of the smartest, shrewdest and most unique and successful players ever to wear a Warriors uniform,' owner Joe Lacob said. Iguodala retired in October 2023 after 19 NBA seasons and four championships with Golden State, including an NBA Finals MVP award in 2015. Shortly after announcing he was done playing, Iguodala became the acting executive director of the National Basketball Players Association. The 40-year-old Iguodala was the No. 9 overall pick in the 2004 NBA draft out of Arizona and played in 1,231 career games. He spent eight seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers, one in Denver, six with the Warriors, two in Miami and the last two back for Golden State. He was part of NBA champions in 2015, '17, '18 and 2022. A defensive stopper who took on a variety of roles, Iguodala not only mentored teammates at the end of his career but also provided insight to coach Steve Kerr. It was Kerr who trusted Iguodala to perform on the big stage that the coach moved him into the starting lineup trailing 2-1 to the Cavaliers in the 2015 Finals and gave him the assignment of guarding then-Cleveland star LeBron James. 'A lot of those things go unnoticed," the retired swingman said. 'I constantly get stopped by folks and they say, 'You know, you really helped me raise my children in terms of bringing a proper approach, to whatever it is that you do, respecting what you do, doing it at a high level, teamwork, discipline. Sacrifice is probably the biggest thing that they use in regards to me, with sometimes less is more, but knowing when to be ready for the big moments.' ___ AP NBA: Janie Mccauley, The Associated Press
