Warriors’ Andre Iguodala reflects on his time as a Sixer: The fans ‘hold you accountable’

In September, Andre Iguodala decided to return to the Golden State Warriors for a final season.

This campaign marks his 19th year in the NBA, tying him for ninth all-time in seasons played in league history. Iguodala hopes to win a fifth NBA title with the Warriors.

But while he’s won championships in the Bay Area, his career began as a 76er.

Iguodala, 38, reflected on what he’ll remember the most about his eight seasons in Philadelphia following Friday’s 118-106 loss to the Sixers at the Wells Fargo Center.

“Just growing up as a kid, you know, I think that was the biggest part of it, learning how to take responsibility, learning how to take criticism, learning how to be professional about it,” he said.

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Iguodala has yet to play this season while recovering from left hip injury management. He averages 11.4 points, 4.2 assists and 1.4 steals in 1,223 career games with 784 starts.

More than half of his career games and most of his starts came as a Sixer. He averaged 15.3 points, 4.9 assists and 1.7 steals in 615 games — all starts — in Philly. He garnered 2012 All-Star, 2011 All-Defensive second team and 2005 All-Rookie first-team honors as a Sixer.

But Iguodala was under a microscope as a professional athlete in Philadelphia.

“Playing with Allen Iverson, I was able to be a kid,” he said. “Then when he left, I had to grow up really fast. And what better place to do it than here? You know, they hold you accountable.

“But it kept me with that fire and that hunger.”

Those attributes stayed with him throughout his career. That’s what makes him most proud. Iguodala realizes that not too many people can play in environments like Philadelphia.

But it really helped him in big moments and big games throughout his career. It made him feel fearless.

Talking about what he remembers the most about Sixers fans, Iguodala said many showed him love.

“But you don’t see that [while in the moment] as much,” he said. “It’s like the negative it was always in front of you. And sometimes that can outweigh the perception of the whole, which really isn’t true when you take a step back and see it from a grand scope. It’s really been a lot of love even when I come back now.

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“Even when I come back now, it’s not even close, getting a lot of love and everyone says, ‘Welcome back home.’”

One of his most memorable moments was taking the Boston Celtics to seven games in the second round of the 2012 Eastern Conference semifinals. But the relationships he’s built with his former Sixers teammates outweighs that.

He still has relationships with all of them. And the Sixers are probably the closest team he’s been a part of on a personal level.

“That sounds crazy because I’m here [with Golden State] and we won a lot of championships,” Iguodala said. “Obviously, I’m close with a lot of guys here. But you know Evan Turner is like my best friend. I still have a warm place in my heart for Lou Williams. I’m going on a golf trip next summer with Spencer Hawes. Jodie Meeks hits me up anytime he’s on a golf course.”

It’s also always good for Iguodala to connect with Thad Young whenever their teams meet up. And he’s learned a lot from Elton Brand, now the Sixers general manager.

“I just saw Marc Jackson today, big Marc,” he said. “You know Kevin Ollie and Aaron McKie, they helped mode me to be the professional I am today.”