Andre Iguodala talked about the bad aspects of Miami Heat culture on The Old Man & the Three podcast.
However, it also clears up misconceptions about the team and also looks at the good aspects of team culture.
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The forward’s second year with the Heat was abysmal as he finished last in the league in wide open shooting percentage.
The stress of fan expectations and focus on winning took its toll on the entire team.
This not only worries the players but also the coaches.
The coaching staff pressured the players to never miss long shots, but that had the opposite effect.
The players cannot make these shots, leading to even more instability in the formation.
Iguodala pointed out the worry about making mistakes while playing and how that can cause the team to make more mistakes than they should.
“Your brain is always stuck in a mindset like: ‘Don’t make mistakes sometimes.
‘ Because you were so locked in, we missed a lot of open shots.
If Duncan missed a long shot, you’d think it was the end of the world.
Andre Iguodala
“Iguodala likened his Heat workout clothes to a prison jumpsuit and flip-flops.
But he emphasized that this is not a bad thing.
When the team offered him practice gear, he initially refused.
The Golden State Warriors player thinks he has experience in this league and won’t need knee pads or a mouthpiece.
“I don’t need them, I don’t wear knee pads or mouthpieces.
I’ve been in this league for 15, 16 years.
I was successful.
Andre Iguodala
However, the group does not take “no” for an answer.
Finally, Iguodala gave in and “used” the device.
He realized that the equipment could not be replaced to ensure longevity because he believed the Heat played harder than most teams.
Iguodala’s lessons from the Heat have been applied to his current team.
However, now the problem is the opposite.
He noticed that sometimes the group seemed unfocused and he was the one who had to remind them to “focus”.
Additionally, he blamed his teammates for giving away too many turnovers, which showed a lack of focus.
“We knew we were going to win, but come on.
Please lock it.
Andre Iguodala
Clearly, the former All-Star has learned a lot of good and bad things from his former teams and he’s not afraid to use it to win.
However, that’s not the only thing he’s learned during his long time in the league.
He believes that the new generations do not respect the tournament.