Warriors’ Iguodala applauds Jimmy G for his ‘right attitude’ originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
While Warriors veteran Andre Iguodala basks in the glory of his fourth NBA championship, the Bay’s NFL team has been hard at work getting ready for the upcoming season.
Part of that preparation for the 49ers involved bringing back quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, who agreed to a pay cut to serve in a backup role behind first-year starter Trey Lance.
The move certainly created an interesting dynamic for San Francisco, and Iguodala took time to address if the situation will be awkward or not on the latest episode of the “Point Forward” podcast.
“It’s interesting for football, I know it’s totally different in basketball… There isn’t really you taking somebody’s minutes,” Iguodala told his co-host, Evan Turner. “If you have two very talented guys, they will play together. If this was basketball, Jimmy G and Lance would be playing at the same time. But it’s not.”
Lance is the 49ers’ assured starter under center, but it remains to be seen whether Garoppolo will see the field in any capacity this season. Iguodala applauded Garoppolo for how he treated Lance and handled himself throughout the process even though he lost his starting job to the 22-year-old.
“So far, Jimmy G has taken it the right way in terms of having the right attitude,” Iguodala said. “He didn’t really have that Brett Favre attitude towards my guy ‘Discount Double Check,’ like, ‘It ain’t my job to make him a better player, it’s his job to make him a better player.’ “
Iguodala, of course, was referring to the Green Bay Packers drama surrounding Favre’s strained relationship with his eventual replacement, Aaron Rodgers. In contrast, Garoppolo has taken Lance under his wing since the 49ers drafted the young quarterback No. 3 overall in 2021, with Lance even referring to Garoppolo as his big brother.
Iguodala knows plenty about what a veteran leader and mentor looks like, serving as one himself to young Warriors players like Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody and Jordan Poole. While Garoppolo’s leadership is more subdued when it comes to the public eye, it has earned Iguodala’s respect.
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“Some guys choose not to be the vet leader and they express it,” Iguodala continued. “I just think Jimmy G has done a hell of a job working his way through and not letting it be seen through the media or with a team, so it’s going to be interesting.”
As the 49ers prepare for their Week 1 matchup with the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on Sept. 11, it’s clear the crosstown NBA champions are keeping a close eye on their season.
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