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As a player whose contributions are often overlooked, Andre Iguodala has made a career flying under the radar.

There have been only five teams in NBA history that have won three consecutive league titles. A handful of games into the 2017-18 regular season, the Golden State Warriors have already begun their quest to become the sixth.

Years from now, when we look back on Golden State's most recent two championships, chances are one player and two specific shots will stand out.

The game, the shot location, the time remaining on the clock…the similarities are truly uncanny. They're arguably the two biggest shots in the career of a player who will go down as one of the most skilled scorers to ever play the game. And while those shots obviously and rightfully deserve plenty of reverence, it wouldn't be right to ignore the full context within which they took place. The fact of the matter is, without some certain overshadowed defensive plays, those shots may not go down in history quite the way they did.

And perhaps it's only fitting to use the term 'overshadowed', considering the plays were made by one Andre Iguodala.

He's been an All-Star, a Finals MVP, a two-time All-Defensive player and a three-time NBA Champion. Yet, with all of the star power on the Warriors, it's been somewhat easy for Iguodala to fly under the radar. He's never posted a double-digit scoring average in a Golden State uniform, and has made only eight total regular season starts dating back to the beginning of the 2014-15 season. But if you ask Steve Kerr, who made the decision to bring Iguodala off the bench upon his arrival, the veteran swingman is invaluable to the Warriors' vision and overarching strategy.

"He's the unsung hero on our team," Kerr said in the aftermath of one of Iguodala's aforementioned overshadowed defensive plays. "If I had to rank the smartest basketball players I've ever been around, I'd put him right there with Manu Ginobili and Scottie Pippen. He's got that kind of basketball mind. He's brilliant."

The play in question? It wasn't one for the faint of heart.

Roughly 30 seconds after Kevin Durant deposited the first of his two famous Game 3 daggers through the net, the Warriors were still vulnerable. He increased Golden State's lead to three points with two free throws with 12.0 seconds remaining, but Cleveland still had an opportunity send the game into overtime, and they had the ball in the hands of the right player. The only problem? It was Iguodala's hands they should have been worried about.

As LeBron James raised up to launch the potential game-tying three, Iguodala swiped down, deftly separating the ball from James' grasp, clinching the victory and a commanding 3-0 series lead for Golden State. One blowout loss and one additional win later, the Dubs had their first of back-to-back NBA Championships.

Then, almost exactly a year later, Iguodala's pesky hands were at it again.

With just under three minutes remaining in regulation of Game 3 of the 2018 Finals, the Warriors held a slim 98-97 advantage, inching ever closer to a 3-0 series lead over the Cavaliers for the second year in a row. Stephen Curry had just converted a layup to give the Dubs the lead, and as Cleveland made their way back down the court, James threw the ball into Kevin Love, who was posted up against Iguodala on the wing. As the bigger Love attempted to spin towards the baseline with his eyes set on retaking the lead, Iguodala used his left hand to strip Love from behind. Not only did Iguodala retain possession after the crucial steal, but two passes later, Golden State led by four.

On the ensuing possession, James returned the favor, converting a three-pointer to make it a one-point game once again. Enter Iguodala for yet another critical overshadowed contribution.

Iguodala inbounded the ball to Kevin Durant, who walked it up the court. With five seconds left on the shot clock, those two engaged in a pick-and-roll, as Durant found a wide-open Iguodala cutting to the basket. With nothing but space in front of him, Iguodala received the pass and rose up to throw down a thunderous dunk, rebuilding a three-point advantage with just less than 100 seconds left to play.

Cleveland would miss on their ensuing possession, and on Golden State's next trip down the floor...well, you remember.

Durant's shots are certain to be replayed on NBA highlight reels for decades to come, and rightfully so. But, chances are, those highlights will be clipped in such a way that Iguodala's overshadowed plays don't make the cut. That's not something that bothers Iguodala, though.

"No, for me, I know. But, like, I know it's unnoticed. I actually enjoy those more than anything. I like doing stuff that people can't quite grasp, whether casual or very in-tune basketball fans. Those are the moments I like."

In fact, Iguodala sees those kinds of moments as microcosms of his career – as in, overshadowed:

"Yeah, I think my career has been like that, but I've always been cool with that. I never say that I don't have enough attention or that I should get more attention. I like flying under the radar."

Perhaps what makes Iguodala such a valuable piece of the Warriors' puzzle is that he not only understands his role, but also embraces it, particularly as the stakes get greater.

"You want to put your stamp on the game in whatever way possible," he says. "We embrace our jobs. And my job is to try to cause some havoc defensively, especially when those moments call for it."

If anyone knows what it's like to be on the other side of that havoc in a big moment, it's the Cavaliers. But, now in his 15th NBA season, Iguodala's left his stamp on the game in just about every way imaginable.

The majority of Iguodala's NBA career is behind him, but what a career it's been. And, based on how 'Playoff Iguodala' has performed each of the last two postseasons, perhaps he's got more tread left on his tires than he'd have you believe. But when that career does finally come to an end, will he have done enough to secure himself a spot in the Hall-of-Fame?

Iguodala – a noted NBA historian – believes there are at least four future Hall-of-Famers amongst his current teammates, if not more. However, he neglects to include himself in that group.

"I think my game, like what I've done is good enough, but I don't think the numbers support it. But I'm cool with it. I don't really care. Whatever."

For a guy who's perfectly comfortable flying under the radar, what else would you expect?

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Flying Under the Radar

Kerr’s Path Through the Playoffs Filled With Familiar Faces

Winning at the NBA level is a difficult enough task in itself. To do so at the most critical time of the year, against people who know you almost as well as you know yourself, is likely to take that degree of difficulty up another notch, or several.

If you’ve been around the NBA as long as Steve Kerr has, in the various capacities he’s performed in, that possibility becomes all the more likely.

In each of the first three rounds of the 2018 Playoffs, Kerr has gone up against a familiar face from his nearly 30 years in and around the NBA as a player, broadcaster, general manager, and now, head coach.

Over the course of his 15 seasons as an NBA player, Kerr played for six different franchises, including the Suns, Cavaliers, Magic, Bulls, Spurs and Trail Blazers. During those years, he played for multiple Hall-of-Fame coaches, including Lenny Wilkins, Phil Jackson and current San Antonio Head Coach Gregg Popovich.

Who was on the opposing sideline from Kerr during this year’s first round series and last season’s Western Conference Finals between the Warriors and Spurs? Kerr’s friend and mentor Popovich, of course.

After he won his fifth NBA Championship with the Spurs in the 2003 Finals, Kerr hung up his shoes and went out on top. He retired, and soon transitioned into broadcasting, serving as an analyst for TNT for several years while simultaneously contributing to Yahoo! as an NBA commentator. Then, in June of 2007, Kerr began a new venture in his NBA career when he was named General Manager of the Phoenix Suns, a position he would hold for three seasons.

Upon accepting the job, Kerr was thrown right into the fire. The Suns were coming off a season in which they had won 61 regular season games, but were eliminated by the Spurs in six games in the Western Conference Semifinals. The head coach of that Suns team? Current Houston Rockets Head Coach Mike D’Antoni.

In Kerr’s first season as G.M., the Suns finished the regular season sixth in the West with a record of 55-27, before losing in five games to those same pesky Spurs in the first round of the playoffs. That marked D’Antoni and the Suns’ fourth-straight postseason appearance, but they never made it further than the Conference Finals over that stretch. Upon their first round flameout, Kerr made the decision to go in another direction, firing D’Antoni and hiring Terry Porter as Head Coach during the ensuing offseason.

That next season, the Suns didn’t quite live up to the level they’d maintained over the previous four years. Going into the All-Star break, they had lost five of eight, and sat outside of the playoff picture. When the Suns returned from the break, they had a new head coach.

That coach? None other than current New Orleans Pelicans Head Coach Alvin Gentry.

The team responded to the coaching change, finishing the regular season 10 games above .500, but just missed out on a playoff berth. The next season – Kerr’s final as General Manager – Phoenix went 54-28 during the regular season with Gentry at the helm before losing a tough six-game series to Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers in the Conference Finals, who would go on to win the NBA Championship.

In a surprise to many, Kerr stepped down from his position as General Manager less than a month later, in what he described as a “professional and personal decision”.  Upon his departure, Rick Welts, the Suns’ President and CEO at the time remarked, “There can't be anybody more respected or better-liked anywhere in the NBA than Steve Kerr.”

Care to take a guess as to who is the Warriors’ current President and COO?

Soon after leaving Phoenix, it was announced that Kerr would return to the broadcasting booth with TNT, where he’d remain for the next four NBA seasons. Then, on a May afternoon of 2014, Kerr met with Golden State brass in Oklahoma City, where he was to call the playoff game between the Thunder and Clippers later that night. The point of the meeting? It was a job interview.

Kerr had never been a head coach before, but during his time as an analyst, he picked the brains of numerous coaches he encountered. When it came time for the Warriors to choose the next head coach to lead the team to greater heights, Joe Lacob and Co. tabbed Kerr as the right man for the job.

He knew he would need a lot of help, though. What he lacked in coaching experience, he made up for in coaching relationships. Soon after accepting the job, Kerr hired a staff that included current Warriors’ defensive guru Ron Adams and current Lakers’ Head Coach Luke Walton as assistant coaches, and Gentry as Associate Head Coach. And the rest, as they say, is history.

Since arriving in Golden State in May of 2014, Kerr has experienced unparalleled success in NBA coaching history. Over his three-plus seasons with the Warriors, the Dubs have posted a cumulative regular season record of 265-63 (.808), a playoff record of 56-17 (.767), set the all-time single-season wins record and won two NBA Championships, among other accomplishments. After winning Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals in Houston on Monday, Kerr and the Warriors are inching closer to a third.

To get to this current point, Kerr has gone up against three major figures from his past in Popovich, Gentry, and now D’Antoni.

“The NBA is a small world,” Kerr related earlier this week. “It really is kind of a fraternity, and you get to know everybody, some people better than others. And it just seems like in this playoff run, I’m coaching against guys who I know pretty well. But we all know each other, and it’s just kind of a random thing this time, but as you go through the NBA and you coach or you play or whatever, it does feel like a small circle and you kind of get to know everyone.”

One may wonder if going up against a familiar face can have an effect on the dynamic of competition, but Kerr was quick to dispel that notion.

“I coach my team and Mike coaches his and Alvin coaches his,” said Kerr. “I think I can say with genuine honesty we’re all happy for each other’s success, and we all would much rather win than lose, but you go out and compete and whatever happens, happens.”

What’s currently happening is the most highly anticipated postseason series of the year between the Warriors and Rockets. Golden State took Game 1 on the road, but Houston was the league’s top team during the regular season for good reason, and D’Antoni had plenty to do with it. Long considered an offensive genius who Kerr credits with being a critical figure in the transformation of the modern game, D’Antoni has diverted from the seven-seconds-or-less offense he ran with those Phoenix teams to a more isolation-based offense, heavy on pick-and-roll actions, perfectly suited to his star-studded backcourt of James Harden and Chris Paul.

“I think that’s Mike’s brilliance,” Steve Nash relayed on a conference call last week. “He’s able to adapt and bring the best out in a group of players.”

Few people would know better than Nash, who thrived within and served as the linchpin of D’Antoni’s offenses in Phoenix. Thus, Nash – who will soon be inducted into the NBA Hall-of-Fame and currently serves as a Player Development Consultant for Golden State – has an interesting perspective on the current series, and the coaches at the helm of the teams involved.

When asked to compare Kerr and D’Antoni, Nash insisted they are most similar in their congenial personalities, as well as how they think the game.

But when asked to describe how they currently differ, Nash focused on their strategic decisions:

“I think Steve is definitely much more influenced by Pop and Phil, and there’s a lot of off the ball cutting, a lot of elbow play and triangle-type formation where people are moving off the ball and getting either feeds from the post or the mid-post or the elbow.”

“I think Mike’s team is much more pick-and-roll and iso,” Nash continued. “So the main difference is the fact that the Warriors play out of more triangle-type sets in the post, mid-post or elbow, and guys are cutting and moving without the ball. So there’s a little more movement – I would say a lot more movement in Golden State – and a lot more deliberately spacing you out…and then taking advantage of [Harden and Paul] in isolation situations.”

A day prior to Game 1 of the Conference Finals, D’Antoni was asked an interesting question: if he and Kerr switched teams, would Golden State and Houston play similarly to the way they do now?

“Possibly,” replied D’Antoni, “but I think every coach has a little different way to do it, whether right or wrong. And it takes a little bit of a different identity, and each team wouldn’t have been exactly the same, but maybe you end up in the same ballpark.”

It’s a fun hypothetical to consider, but not one D’Antoni is going to spend a lot of time on, and for good reason. The Rockets have already surrendered home court advantage, and desperately need a win in Game 2 on Wednesday to even up the series before it transitions back to the Bay Area for Games 3 and 4. Kerr may be genuinely happy for D’Antoni and the success he and the Rockets have experienced this year, but you can be sure neither side will be pulling any punches – so to speak – as the series resumes.

And if the Warriors are fortunate enough to advance? After nearly 30 years in the NBA, it’s unlikely Kerr’s streak of encountering a friendly foe would stop now.

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Friendly Foes

"OMGoodness you made me cry. And I'll explain why. And then you'll cry too."

For much of the last year, Katie Snow has spent her time traveling the country and globe as the primary caretaker of the Warriors' 2017 NBA Championship Trophy. But on a Sunday morning in December 2017, she was just like many other 20-somethings, scrolling through her Facebook timeline before encountering a video that would prompt her to act.

The video was posted by Church &amp; Sons Painting Co., a local company owned by Jeff Church based in Antioch, California. Jeff's business specializes in interior and exterior painting but it's not just family-owned. It's also family operated, as Jeff is often joined by his son JJ while on the job. The company's website and Facebook page are littered with photos of father and son, often with big smiles on both of their faces. It's an especially endearing partnership when you come to know a little more about JJ.

JJ has Down syndrome, a genetic disorder caused by the presence of either all or part of a third copy of chromosome 21. It's the most common chromosomal condition in the United States, as approximately one in every 700 and about 6,000 total babies with Down syndrome are born in the U.S. each year. In addition to their painting business, Church &amp; Sons Painting Co. also serves as an advocate for Down syndrome and special needs awareness, with JJ often the focal point. The photos and posts paint an uplifting picture of the happiness someone living with Down syndrome can experience, despite their affliction.

One such post displayed JJ's abundance of passion for following the Golden State Warriors. Actually, a quick scan of that Facebook page will reveal numerous posts of JJ adorned in Warriors garb, but it was this particular post that made it's way into Katie Snow's feed and caught her eye.

Seeing that JJ was a big Dubs' fan and that he was based locally, Snow privately messaged Jeff to offer them tickets to an upcoming Warriors game. As it turned out, the timing of that message could not have been better or more needed.

JJ's girlfriend LaDawna also had Down syndrome, and the two developed a loving relationship together. Only a week before Snow's message, LaDawna had attended a Warriors game with her family, and came back raving about her experience. All she could talk about was getting JJ to a game with her.

Two days prior to Snow's message, LaDawna choked on some food and went into cardiac arrest. She was placed on life support, and passed away the following Monday. The next day, Snow serendipitously reached out to Jeff.

It was an occurrence that would surely shake anyone to their core. But for someone with Down syndrome, it can be even more difficult to process and understand. Jeff does his best to ensure JJ "lives in a happy, harmless, safe world", but sometimes, life intervenes. JJ's heart was broken.

Snow was unaware of LaDawna's death at the time she sent her message. When Jeff received it, he was deeply moved. He explained what had happened, and how difficult it had been for JJ, and how a Warriors game would be a perfect way to commemorate the bond that he and LaDawna shared. His response began with the testimony at the beginning of this story. Perhaps now you're crying, too.

Upon hearing this, Snow snapped into action. Her original plan had been to offer the Church's her own two tickets in the upper bowl of Oracle Arena, but the additional context prompted her to go further. Through her additional efforts, she was able to upgrade their seats to the lower bowl, and most importantly, secure them passes to get on the court for the pregame shootaround.

The night of the game, Snow met the Churchs outside of the arena and escorted them down to the court where JJ's special night began.

With a beaming smile from ear to ear, JJ sat on a chair adjacent to the Warriors' tunnel, in perfect position to get an up-close and personal view of the players he so frequently cheers on T.V. As the players emerged from the tunnel and onto the court, many stopped by JJ's seat to say hello, share a laugh and give him some signed memorabilia. After receiving an autographed hat from Jordan Bell, JJ held it in his hands and stared at it for several seconds before kissing the brim. He was living a dream come true.

That night, the Warriors defeated the Lakers in front of JJ and a sold out crowd, placing the cherry on top of an evening he and his adoring father will always remember. The countless photos and videos they took that night were posted on their Facebook page over the coming days, and in each one, there's JJ, as happy as can be. It's incredibly unfortunate that he never got to attend a game with his girlfriend, but Snow and the Warriors were more than happy to help provide a fond memory for JJ to associate with LaDawna during such a challenging time in his life.

Losing a loved one is sadly something far too many of us can relate to, yet very few of us can say we've lived in JJ's shoes. While his story may have been borne out of heartbreak and tragedy, with each passing day it becomes more and more about the resilience and spirit of one truly special person.

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JJ's Special Night

The Ongoing Efforts of the Warriors Community Foundation

When Joe Lacob and Peter Guber bought the Golden State Warriors, they had three main goals. First, raise a championship banner inside Oracle Arena. Second, establish a well-run organization by hiring the best people. And third, make a significant and lasting impact on the Bay Area community.

Well, let's see. The Warriors have won two of the last three NBA championships, and just raised their 2017 NBA Championship banner to the rafters of Oracle Arena on Opening Night. That's one check mark.

Over the last several years, the Warriors organization has been recognized frequently for their achievements both on and off the court. On the basketball side, Head Coach Steve Kerr has added one NBA Coach of the Year award to his resume, while President of Basketball Operations/General Manager Bob Myers has added two NBA Executive of the Year awards to his. On the business side, Golden State was named the Sports Business Journal's Team of the Year in both 2014 and 2016. That's two.

That third box to check is a little different, though. A lasting impact on the community is not something that can be accomplished prior to tipoff or awarded at season's end. It takes constant attention and effort, and requires a multi-faceted approach. After all, the scope of ways in which the Warriors can serve the Bay Area is a broad one. So, that's why they created the Warriors Community Foundation in 2012 to assist local youth.

"Making a significant impact in the lives of Bay Area youth is the main mission of the Warriors Community Foundation," said Warriors Vice President of Community Relations and Community Foundation Executive Director Joanne Pasternack. "We believe supporting efforts to improve resources and access for those without the opportunities to do so is how we can make a lasting impact in lives of youth throughout the Bay Area."

Last Friday, the Warriors Community Foundation put its money where its mouth is, yet again. The Foundation awarded $1.2 million in grants to 49 local organizations working to improve educational equity in Alameda and San Francisco Counties, including flagship grants to the Oakland and San Francisco Unified School Districts. Since its founding in 2012, the Warriors Community Foundation has now delivered over $8.9 million in impact to support education and youth development in the Bay Area.

The grants from this most recent contribution will support a range of programs and organizations, including investments in early childhood development, elementary literacy, middle schools, STEM, and college access and persistence. One of those programs is the East Bay College Fund, a local institution that "helps resilient public school students, under–represented in higher education, access and succeed in college, expanding their life opportunities." It's a program with which Kerr has developed his own special, lasting bond.

"I met the East Bay College Fund people last year on a similar night, where they had some guests in town," Kerr said prior to the Warriors' game that Sunday. "I was just blown away by what they're doing, just in terms of fundraising but also, mentoring kids in the Bay Area, particularly in the East Bay. Sending them to college, providing mentoring, counseling, it's a great program, so it's become kind of my personal charity through the Warriors Foundation."

Since last season, Kerr has donated all of the proceeds from his various speaking engagements to a scholarship through the East Bay College Fund, which he established in honor of his father, Dr. Malcolm Kerr. Thanks to Kerr's donations – which total over $600,000 to-date – 20 students have been able to attend college.

Kerr's father was a college professor, so his innate connection to the spirit of the fund is obvious. But when asked what inspired him to get involved with the East Bay College Fund, specifically, Kerr explained it had everything to do with how the Fund assists youth beyond simply the financial support.

"The mentoring part was really I think the key," Kerr revealed. "It's one thing to donate money, which is a huge part of it, but to contribute the mentoring, and the advice and the moral support is a huge part of what young people need when they're going off to college. So, that's what attracted me I think."

Michelle Hernandez, Kamossi Brooks and Johann Romo – current students at University of California Berkeley, California State University East Bay and San Francisco State University – are three of the local youth that have directly benefitted from Kerr's scholarship, and they were his special guests at Sunday's game. The students got a front row seat to Golden State's pregame shootaround session and met their benefactor for the very first time at a postgame meet-and-greet.

"I never thought that I would actually meet him, or be so close to the court," said a smiling Hernandez.

As Kerr and the East Bay College Fund students said their goodbyes, the program's Executive Director Diane Dodge thanked him for his ongoing contributions, and Kerr reciprocated his enjoyment at the overall success of the program. A future meeting between Kerr and the entirety of his beneficiaries – who now study at collegiate institutions across the country – is currently in the works.

Golden State may have lost Sunday's game, but on the whole, the night was a big-time success. The Warriors remain committed to keeping that third box checked, and Kerr's ongoing relationship with the East Bay College Fund is another strong step in that direction.

feature

Flying Under the Radar

Friendly Foes

JJ's Special Night

Kerr's Cause