Andre Iguodala vying to become first Arizona Wildcats NBA Finals MVP

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Could Andre Iguodala earn the honor of being the first Arizona player to become NBA Finals MVP? (ABC-TV screen shot)

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The Arizona Wildcats have produced the most NBA draft picks along with Duke and Kentucky since 1988 with 38 each, and a few of them have advanced to the NBA Finals, including five-time champ Steve Kerr.

Not one of the Arizona Wildcats have earned the distinction of the Bill Russell NBA Finals MVP. Golden State’s Andre Iguodala is staking a claim to become the first, coming off a season-high 22 points in the Warriors’ 103-82 win at Cleveland in Game 4 tonight.

Iguodala, in his first start of the season, made four three-pointers. He also pulled down eight rebounds. His performance overshadowed that of LeBron James, who produced 20 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists but was subdued by Iguodala’s defense from the start.

ESPN broadcaster Jeff Van Gundy said late in the game: “It’s not often that LeBron James gets outplayed, but Andre Iguodala has won that matchup tonight.”

Kerr made the right adjustment by starting Iguodala and going small against Cleveland, benching post player Andrew Bogut and starting Draymond Green in his place. Iguodala made 8-of-15 shots from the field while James connected on only 7-of-22.

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Site founder and award-winning sports journalist Javier Morales has published his first e-book, “The Highest Form of Living”, a fiction piece about a young man who overcomes a troubled upbringing without his lost father and wayward mother through basketball and hope. His hope is realized through the sport he loves. Basketball enables him to get past his fears. His experience on the court indirectly brings him closer to his parents in a unique, heartfelt way. Please order it at Amazon (for only $4.99) by clicking on the photo:

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“We just wanted to speed up the pace,” Iguodala said during the postgame press conference of Kerr’s decision to start him.

Kerr said of Iguodala: “He’s been our best player through four games.”

The closest Arizona Wildcats player to earn the NBA Finals MVP was Jason Terry in 2011 when the Dallas Mavericks beat the Miami Heat in six games to earn the title.

Terry averaged 18 points and shot 49.4 percent from the floor in that series. Dirk Nowitzki earned the NBA Finals MVP honor by leading the Mavericks averaging 26 points and 9.7 rebounds.

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ALLSPORTSTUCSON.com publisher, writer and editor Javier Morales is a former Arizona Press Club award winner. He has also written articles for Bleacher Report and Lindy’s College Sports.