The Sixth Man

May 1, 2019

Three-time NBA champion Iguodala, currently a shooting guard for the Golden State Warriors, chronicles his life, starting with growing up in Springfield, IL, with a single mother who emphasized discipline and education. After attending the University of Arizona, he was selected for the NBA draft in 2004. The player describes the pressure that NBA prospects experience as they deal with college coaches, agents, and draft positioning. He's honest about his experience playing for the Philadelphia 76ers: unfair expectations of the media and the fans, and internal pressures that contributed to his struggle with insomnia. Later chapters express the challenges of moving from a starter to a bench player, especially as he nears the end of his career: the daily routine of practice and games, and the mental fatigue of the 73-win season. There is also insight into the personalities and work ethic of his Warriors teammates and what led them to continued success. However, Iguodala criticizes NBA officiating and the NCAA's rules that enrich schools and coaches. VERDICT Iguodala's memoir highlights the camaraderie of players and the mental and physical challenges of the modern NBA; a true insider's perspective of the Warriors' championship teams.--Chris Wilkes, Tazewell Cty. P.L., VA

Copyright 2019 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from May 1, 2019
Iguodala is a member of the NBA world-champion Golden State Warriors. A classic sixth man (not a starter but the first player to come off the bench), he has been an all-star, an all-defensive team selection, and a playoff-finals MVP. Next time you catch the Warriors, watch Iguodala when he's leading a fast break. His vision and anticipation border on genius. And now he's written, along with coauthor Wallace, the best basketball memoir since Bill Russell's Go up for Glory (1966), more than 50 years ago. We learn in this masterfully written, sometimes even poetic memoir that Iguodala was raised by a no-nonsense mother who insisted on young Andre becoming a reader?of all sorts of things, including newspapers. That experience clearly helped foster a broad worldview, a perspective on his own life, and a tolerance for individual idiosyncrasies. That last quality is critical for a great teammate, and, by all accounts, Iguodala is exactly that. There's plenty here about basketball, but the authors move well beyond the scores, hoops, and on-court drama that fill nearly all the pages of similar books. Iguodala is always focused on the relationships and motivations of his teammates and opponents. That insight, he shows, helps him bond with his teammates and defeat his opponents. This is a very special book?a sports memoir for the ages.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)