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USA Today via Reuters

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USA Today via Reuters

The Golden State Warriors fanbase is still haunted by LeBron James’ legendary chasedown block on Andre Iguodala during Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals. Iggy has repeatedly praised the block, calling it an “amazing” and “beautiful” play. But his missed opportunity has apparently to difficult time for her teenage daughter.

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He joked on a podcast that the impact was so loud it sounded like a gunshot. Despite this miss, the game was still with two minutes remaining. So, the Warriors superstar’s mindset was to defend the next play and not get hung over by a missed opportunity. “Great play. And then I heard a ooh, and I was like, all right, so my mind is still like, all right, we got to get back on defence. ”

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Even Richard Jefferson agreed. “Score tight, it don’t matter who gives a s—. It’s a missed shot. It don’t matter if it’s first quarter, fourth quarter.”

While the athletes already moved on, the fans seemingly haven’t.

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“Yeah, that’s how I felt. You know, still go outside. You still these punk a– kids. And my daughter has been abused by ‘Blocked by James’ walking down the hallways.” Andre Iguodala said on Episode 4 of The Richard Show: NBA Finals 10-Year Reunion. He further confirmed that the fans’ sentiments don’t bother him. But being a protective father, those jabs hurt. Especially considering the legal drama has already happened in her daughter’s life.

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USA Today via Reuters

London Iguodala was born on May 7, 2009, from his previous relationship with Clayanna Warthen. Not a lot is known about Iggy’s daughter, but the baby mama sued the Finals MVP twice. She first sued him for child support in 2009, just months after the birth. The court awarded her $16k per month.

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“I feel blessed to have a healthy new daughter, and I will give her all of the love and support she needs for a happy and full life,” he told the Philadelphia Inquirer when asked about the verdict.

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In 2016, she filed another lawsuit, seeking an increase in child support to $58,000 a month. The baby mama claimed that Iguodala was not covering all of London’s tuition costs, and requested additional funds for various personal expenses. This included a personal chef and $7,000 for courtside seats at 76ers games, as reported by TMZ. While Iguodala’s legal team pushed back, details on the case have remained scarce since.

Andre Iguodala’s daughter’s personal life remains private. That’s why the father wants to protect her even more, after the legal drama they have been through. And just like LeBron James’ stop on June 19, 2016, which is widely considered one of the greatest and most clutch defensive plays in sports history, also inadvertently led to some unnecessary comments. All this while the Finals MVP has only praised the efforts from Bron.

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“I’m like, ‘Man, that [block] was so dope to me, too.’ I was a fan,” he said previously. “What you want me to do? If you enjoy the game of basketball, you should just be like, ‘Dude made a great play.’”

“And then all I heard was a sonic boom. It was like, boom. I was like, oh, it’s like somebody got shot. It was loud,” he recently said to Jefferson.

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LeBron James on his legacy block

“A lot of people will base a game-winning jump shot, or dunk, or something that happened offensively. But for my legacy to be a block or something defensively to help us win, that’s the ultimate for me,” James previously stated.

With less than two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, the Cleveland Cavaliers and the 73-win Golden State Warriors were locked in an intense 89-89 tie. After a missed floater by Kyrie Irving, Andre Iguodala grabbed the rebound and ignited a fast break. He passed to Stephen Curry, who quickly bounced it back to Iggy for what looked like an uncontested, go-ahead layup.

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Cavaliers guard J.R. Smith contested just enough to slightly alter Iguodala’s angle. This gave LeBron James the split-second he needed to sprint 88 feet in just 2.67 seconds, reaching a top speed of 20.1 mph. James leaped 35 inches into the air and pinned Iguodala’s layup firmly against the backboard, keeping the game tied.

“The Block” completely shifted the momentum of the closing minutes. Shortly after the play, Kyrie Irving hit a go-ahead three-pointer, allowing the Cavaliers to win 93-89. The victory completed the first-ever 3-1 comeback in NBA Finals history and ended Cleveland’s 52-year professional sports championship drought.

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Pranav Kotai

3,014 Articles

Pranav Kotai is an editor at EssentiallySports, specializing in basketball coverage with a focus on trade dynamics and front-office decision-making. Having previously worked on the Trade Desk vertical, he brought clarity to how salary cap pressures and roster needs shape NBA transactions. His insightful coverage of the Philadelphia 76ers’ decision to hold firm on Joel Embiid amid trade speculation highlights how market context and team strategy influence major roster moves. Before joining EssentiallySports, Pranav holds experience of skills in professional writing, editorial work, and digital content creation. He holds a postgraduate diploma in digital media from a reputed institute, where he mastered the tools to create engaging and credible content across various platforms. Known for his attention to detail, proficiency in storytelling, and editorial expertise, Pranav combines deep basketball knowledge with sharp analytical abilities to deliver clear, insightful perspectives on the complexities of NBA trades and team management.

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