Recently retired 19-year NBA veteran Andre Iguodala has been named as the acting executive director of the National Basketball Players Association, it was announced on Thursday. Iguodala takes over for Tamika Tremaglio, who has reportedly stepped down after fewer than two years in the role.
Iguodala, who served as Vice President of the NBPA for over five years during his playing career, will take the helm while a formal search is conducted for Tremaglio's replacement. There is not yet clarity on whether Iguodala will pursue candidacy for the permanent position. According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Tremaglio and union leadership had discussed her possible departure since the end of collective bargaining agreement negotiations in April. That CBA will run through the 2029-30 season, with both sides able to opt out following the 2028-29 season.
"Having a former player lead as Executive Director of the union is an exciting proposition," NBPA president CJ McCollum said in a statement. "We thank Tamika for her service and leadership throughout the CBA process and are thrilled to welcome Andre as Acting Executive Director."
While no former NBA player has served as executive director of the NBPA in a permanent capacity, there is precedent for a retired player taking over in an interim role. In 1996, former Denver Nuggets great Alex English stepped in as executive director between the tenures of Simon Gourdine and Billy Hunter.
"I am honored to take on this role and serve the players, who are the heart and soul of the NBA," Iguodala said in a statement. "I'm presented with a unique opportunity to take all that I've learned as a player over the course of my 19-year career and apply it to creating an even stronger and more influential union for current and future generations of players. I am thrilled to work alongside our extremely committed Executive Committee to lead the brotherhood through its next stage of advancement and development."
With his vast leadership experience -- not only in the NBPA, but also in multiple locker rooms throughout his NBA tenure -- Iguodala is a logical choice for the position given the respect he has earned from players across the league. He won four championships as a member of the Golden State Warriors, earning Finals MVP honors in 2015.
After beginning his career in Philadelphia, where he made his only All-Star appearance, Iguodala made a brief stop with the Denver Nuggets before joining the Warriors in 2013. He also played for the Miami Heat for two seasons, reaching the Finals once, before rejoining the Warriors for their 2021-22 championship season.
Iguodala officially announced his retirement in October, sparking a bounty of praise from former teammates, opponents and coaches. His leadership and selflessness were trademarks of what could be a Hall of Fame career, and he will bring those traits to his role as executive director of the NBPA.
"He was a foundational piece of what has been one of the great runs in NBA history," Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said after Iguodala announced his retirement. "In many ways, Andre set the tone for the whole thing by agreeing to come off the bench in 2014-15 -- really sacrificing and making the move that unlocked the team, that allowed Harrison [Barnes] to thrive, that strengthened our bench, but also set a time for unselfishness, and team-first mentality."
