NBA 2004 Redraft: Picking between high school and college champions

#2 Pick: Andre Iguodala (Originally: Emeka Okafor)

Setting the scene for this pick is important. This was the first draft for the brand new Charlotte Bobcats franchise. A few days before the draft, they had traded up from the fourth pick (also sending out the 33rd pick) that was contingent on moves in the expansion draft with the Clippers. Bernie Bickerstaff (coach and general manager of the Bobcats) was making the move to select a franchise-shaping big man in Emeka Okafor or Howard there is a better pick available.

Andre Iguodala is the kind of player who would have changed the culture for the Bobcats from the start. He had his best number in Philadelphia, where he averaged 15.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 1.7 steals per game.

Something of an iron man in Philadelphia, Iguodala appeared in all but six games in his first six season. He played in every game five times and led the league in minutes in 2008-2009.

As he transitioned to Denver and ultimately Golden State, he would realize his ultimate role as a do-everything wing. Iguodala is a winning player who would give everything to win, including ultimately giving up his starting role for the betterment of the team. He is a more modern player than Okafor and could have given the entire Bobcats era a better mentality.

With the third pick in the 2004 NBA Redraft, the Chicago Bulls select…