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"They might let Iggy get in" - LeBron James takes a subtle jab at Andre Iguodala's Hall of Fame chances
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- "They might let Iggy get in" - LeBron James takes a subtle jab at Andre Iguodala's Hall of Fame chances
Definitely the best Finals series not only in modern NBA history, but potentially in the entire history of the league, marked its 10th anniversary this summer. We are talking, of course, about the epic clash between the Golden State Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers , where the Cavs prevailed 4-3 in the series.
It remains the only Finals series in history in which a team overturned a 3-1 deficit, with the Cavaliers pulling it off against a 73-9 Warriors squad to avenge their loss from a year earlier, when Steve Kerr's team won 4-2.
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That was the beginning of the Dub Nation dynasty, the last true dynasty the NBA has seen, when, to everyone's surprise, among a sea of future Hall of Fame players on the floor, Andre Iguodala took home the Finals MVP award.
Many had declared Iguodala a " LeBron stopper"
Both Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson had better overall numbers in 2015, not to mention LeBron James , but the impact Iggy had on both ends of the floor earned him the Finals MVP trophy. He averaged 16.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 1.3 steals while shooting 52.1 percent from the field and 40.0 percent from deep.
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However, the defensive job he did on King James cannot be captured by numbers alone. The stats show James averaged 35.8 points, 13.3 rebounds, 8.8 assists, and 1.3 steals, but with 3.5 turnovers and efficient-defying shooting splits of 39.8 percent from the field and 31.0 percent from downtown.
Many were bitter about the league's decision, arguing the award should have gone to Bron or Steph. But Iggy was the X-factor who took on the heaviest defensive burden and ultimately slowed down the NBA's all-time leading scorer.
Of course, his job was made somewhat easier because injuries sidelined Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love , allowing the entire defensive focus to remain on James, which also partly explains his astronomical box-score numbers. Many believe that this performance is what secured his future Hall of Fame election.
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During the 10th-anniversary celebration of that historic achievement last month in Scotland, James and his Cavs teammates decided to properly commemorate what might be the greatest success of his career. At one point, when JR Smith noted that they pulled it off against three future Hall of Famers, Richard Jefferson and James quickly corrected him.
"Possibly four. They might let Iggy get in. Yeah, he probably gets in," James stressed while golfing with his 2016 championship crew.
During that interesting interaction on the golf course, it was clear from LeBron's body language and tone that he was taking a subtle shot, given how many had declared Iguodala a "LeBron stopper" despite James posting historically great numbers in that series.
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Iggy earned his spot to one day enter basketball immortality.
Undoubtedly, Iggy earned his spot in basketball immortality, as he left everything on the court and was one of the key cogs in four Warriors titles.
However, if the Warriors had as many as four Hall of Famers on their roster alongside a future Hall of Fame coach, it underscores just how terrifyingly impressive the Cavaliers' accomplishment was the following year when they overturned the impossible.
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It was, and remains, the only win in four consecutive Finals series between them, and easily the most memorable, given the context of the rivalry and how it was forged.
As for Iggy, he never again reached the peak performance levels of the 2015 Finals, but that moment alone should be enough for his name to be enshrined in basketball immortality one day.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Aug 20, 2026, where it first appeared in the Off The Court section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
