Former NBA All-Star Andre Iguodala was recently a guest on famous Twitch streamer Kai Cenat’s livestream. In the stream, Iguodala was discussing the Warriors 2015 NBA Finals victory and receiving the 2015 NBA Finals MVP award. At the time when he received the award, it was a bit controversial, but it became a bigger deal as the Warriors and Stephen Curry built their legacy. The Iguodala Finals MVP stats weren’t incredible that year, but he won the award regardless. On Kai Cenat’s stream, he spoke about his surprise when he was awarded the 2015 Finals MVP.
Iguodala Speaks on Surprising Finals MVP on Kai Cenat’s Stream
Iguodala Admits Shock To Kai Cenat
On the stream, Kai Cenat and his friends were debating Stephen Curry vs. LeBron James, and one of Cenat’s friends brought up Curry’s one Finals MVP vs. LeBron’s four as part of an argument that LeBron was better. Iguodala got one of those awards that maybe should have gone to Steph. During the stream, Iguodala said,
“I don’t know why they gave it to me. They were supposed to give it to Steph.”
This isn’t the first time Iguodala has said something along these lines. On Gilbert Arena’s podcast last year, he said,
“Steph [Curry] deserved 1 before the one he got… If it was mine, cool. I know the impact I had on the game. I don’t need anybody to tell me that I did.”
The Andre Iguodala Finals MVP Stats Aren’t Amazing
It is for good reason that people debated if Iguodala deserved the Finals MVP win over Curry. Iguodala, the sixth man for the Warriors during the season, didn’t even start every game during the Finals. That being said, when Coach Steve Kerr made the bold move of starting him in place of Andrew Bogut for games 4, 5, and 6, and the series changed.
Andre Iguodala on winning the Finals MVP over Steph Curry in 2015:
"I dont know why they gave it to me. It was supposed to be Steph!"
— Steph Curry Muse (@StephMuse_) November 18, 2024
Iguodala averaged 16.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 4.0 assists in the 2015 Finals. His scoring average is the third lowest by a Finals MVP ever. Those numbers are certainly not as impressive as Curry’s were, but it was Iguodala’s intangibles that won him the award. Iguodala’s supporters and the Finals MVP voters would point to his defense on LeBron as the main reason he received the award. Iguodala certainly was great defending LeBron, but James still averaged 35.8 points, 13.3 rebounds, and 8.8 assists in the series.
Curry Should Have Two Finals MVP Award… Or Three
Like Iguodala said, Curry should have had at least one Finals MVP award before getting his first in 2022. In 2015, Curry averaged 26 points, 6.3 assists, and 5.2 rebounds in the Finals. He shot less efficiently than he did during the season (38.5% from three), but as always, he was the key focus of the entire Cavaliers defense scheme.
"He's so dangerous, probably the most dangerous player in the league the way he can get hot… In 2017 and 2018m we blitzed him with Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson on the floor. That's how dangerous I think he is."
Ty Lue on Warriors' Stephen Curry. #Clippers pic.twitter.com/KKl46FAKzC
— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) February 15, 2022
In 2017 and 2018, Curry still was the driving force behind the Warriors Finals success. The entire offense ran off of the threat of his scoring, and it allowed Kevin Durant to score with ease, which won him two Finals MVP awards. Cavaliers Coach Ty Lue even admitted to focusing on stopping Curry over Durant and Klay Thompson in the Finals. Curry’s legacy may always be questioned by the haters, but his performances in all four of his championships were likely deserving of Finals MVP consideration. For Curry fans, however, it is nice to know that even Iguodala was shocked that Curry didn’t get one in 2015.
