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Andre Iguodala's decorated 19-year NBA career officially has come to a close.

The former Warriors forward and four-time NBA champion explained to Andscape's Marc Spears the reasoning behind his decision to retire from the game.

“It’s just the right time,” Iguodala told Spears in a phone interview. “Time started to get limited for me and I didn’t want to put anything in the back seat. I didn’t want to have to try to delegate time anymore. Especially with on the court, off the court with family. A lot.

“You want to play at a high level. But then family is a lot. My son is 16 and then two girls. So, [I’m] looking forward to seeing them grow up in those important years.”

The 39-year-old spent the first eight seasons of his career with the 76ers after Philadelphia selected him with the No. 9 overall pick in the 2004 NBA Draft. He then spent one season in Denver with the Nuggets before moving to the Bay and joining the Warriors.

Iguodala was a part of the Warriors' dynasty run that made five consecutive trips to the NBA Finals and won three of them. He spent two seasons (2019-20, 2020-21) with the Miami Heat before returning to Golden State where he spent the final two seasons of his career and won another championship.

“We won four championships, that’s kind of unheard of,” Iguodala told Spears. “There are only a handful of teams that can say that. You got the [Chicago] Bulls, the [Los Angeles] Lakers, [Boston] Celtics, us, and that’s it. No organization has been run like this. And I think it’s a testament to us believing in each other, playing the right way. The game was played beautifully and had perfect timing for me right there in my prime.

"And things just happen the way they were supposed to happen when they happened, and it makes you actually strengthen your faith. You just give it all the way up to someone else to say, ‘Let me play to my maximum ability based on the work that I put in and the focus that what I have put into the game has paid off.’ "

The Warriors released a statement from owner Joe Lacob on Iguodala's retirement.

“Andre Iguodala was a huge part of four NBA championship teams with the Warriors and will forever be remembered for his many contributions to our franchise, both on and off the court. His team-first approach, which we witnessed immediately upon his arrival in Golden State, helped set the tone for much of our success, as did the impact he had on the defensive end of the floor.

"We look forward to raising #9 to the rafters in Chase Center at some point in the future, and we wish him well in what will assuredly be a very successful post-playing career venture into the business world.”

Iguodala averaged 11.3 points on 46.3 percent shooting over the course of nearly two decades, with 4.9 rebounds and 4.2 assists. Perhaps his most memorable run on the court was in the 2015 NBA Finals when he earned the Finals MVP award for doing the impossible and locking down former Cleveland Cavalier and NBA superstar LeBron James.

On top of his elite defense, Iguodala was effective on the other end of the floor, too. He averaged 16.3 points on an efficient 52.1-percent shooting from the field and 40 percent from 3-point range, adding 5.8 rebounds, 4 assists and 1.3 steals per game. In that closeout Game 6, Iguodala dropped 25 points on 45-percent shooting, with five rebounds, five assists and two steals in 36 minutes.

“That was pretty cool,” Iguodala told Spears. “It was funny. [Then-Warriors general manager] Bob Myers was the one that gave me the news. That was one of those moments you’ll never forget. I remember every moment when that happened. But it’s always safe to say if you just go out and do your job and what you’re supposed to do, things will happen the way they’re supposed to happen. You just got to have faith that things will work out favorably as long as you have that faith.

“You see a lot in sports like guys going out, making sure they get it, and that sometimes that gets in the way of the team success. It always does.”

In his last two seasons with the Warriors, specifically last season, Iguodala was sort of an unofficial assistant coach and served as a mentor to the young players, such as Jordan Poole, Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody.

On and off the court, Iguodala's impact was felt and certainly will be missed.

SAN FRANCISCO -- Two hotly anticipated San Francisco restaurants are officially opening their doors this weekend, betting big on the city. Judging by their robust reservations, Chotto Matte and Blue Whale are already serving up success.

Chotto Matte is the city's biggest rooftop restaurant and the first West Coast location for the global chain that has locations in London, Miami and Doha.

The massive venue which offers Japanese-Peruvian food or Nikkei cuisine has spectacular city views, a wrap-around terrace, sushi bar and DJ lounge.

The concept restaurant atop the former Macy's men's department store in Union Square has been two and a half years in the making.

"It takes entrepreneurs and creative thinkers to take situations like this and be confident and do new things and that's what's going to stimulate the economy," said Chotto Matte owner and founder Kurt Zdesar. "We can't talk about it, we have to do something right and we're employing 150 people. We'll be paying taxes, of course, so this can only be good, surely. And it offers a new fresh perspective for everyone."

Chotto Matte seats 400 people and it's Zdesar's company's largest restaurant and first rooftop.

"I think timing has been very good for us, because mostly everyone is quite nervous to come here. It means that we're the only ones that have and, I think, that's why we're getting the reaction we are," he said. "Just growing up and always had San Francisco as a special place in my mind as a child, watching movies as a kid, having heard about it and, later, on visiting, I always felt that this would be perfect for us and we've yet to learn if it was the right decision but, so far, all indications are that we've made a good choice."

The line to get inside its grand opening celebration Friday stretched down the block on O'Farrell Street.

Zdesar said that, within 30 minutes of opening its reservations, 3,000 requests came through for bookings over the next two months.

About two miles away in Cow Hollow, another buzzy Asian fusion restaurant and lounge is headed into its first official weekend of business.

Blue Whale on Union Street comes from chef Ho Chee Boon, who first opened Hakkasan and later Empress by Boon in 2021 in San Francisco.

"This city -- for the chef who's a newcomer ... this city means so much to all of us and he really wants to give back to the community," said director of operations at the Boon Group James Minch. "This is another opportunity to give back and show the city that it's worth the investment."

The space, which was formerly occupied by Osha Thai, sat empty for about six years. Blue Whale features a dining room, bar and lounge and outdoor patio.

"Happened to have seen the construction happen for what seems like months now but really exciting to try it and it's really great to have another option in the neighborhood," said diner Nicole Klawitter, who works nearby. "It's really a great opportunity for different kinds of jobs and will hopefully bring people back to San Francisco."

Zdesar said he's spent weeks in San Francisco gearing up for the opening and didn't experience the "doom loop" scenarios he's read about. He said he's found San Francisco to be a welcoming and friendly city.

"We only hear the negative. We never hear the positive and there are so many great restaurants in San Francisco," said Zdesar. "I have yet to find one that I haven't enjoyed thoroughly."

Betty Yu

Betty Yu joined KPIX 5 in November 2013 as a general assignment reporter. She spent two years at WTVJ, the NBC-owned station in Miami, as a reporter before moving to San Francisco.

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Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry is part of the ownership group that will represent San Francisco in TGL presented by SoFi, the new tech-infused golf league being developed by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, the league announced on Thursday.

Curry, a two-time NBA MVP and nine-time All Star, is leading the new ownership group with Marc Lasry's Avenue Sports Fund. Lasry is a co-founder and CEO of Avenue Capital Group, a global investment firm, and a former co-owner of the Milwaukee Bucks.

Andre Iguodala and Klay Thompson, who helped Curry lead the Warriors to four NBA championships, are also part of the ownership group.

"Avenue is thrilled to be working with Stephen Curry, in partnership with TMRW Sports as a founding TGL team," Lasry said in a statement. "Our ownership group is excited to become stewards of TGL San Francisco and to represent Northern California, which is the center of tech innovation and is a perfect location for a TGL team in this extraordinary new sports league.

"As we move towards the launch of TGL's inaugural season in January 2024, TGL San Francisco will be focused on developing an extraordinary team of talented players and we are excited to have Andre and Klay as part of our amazing ownership group."

Curry, Iguodala and Thompson join a growing list of athletes and celebrities who have a stake in TGL, which is scheduled to begin play in January at a purpose-built arena in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. Other team owners include Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank (Atlanta Drive GC), Boston Red Sox owner John Henry (TGL Boston), Serena and Venus Williams (Los Angeles Golf Club) and New York Mets owner Steven A. Cohen (TGL New York).

Golfer Michelle Wie West, soccer players Alex Morgan and Servando Carrasco and NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo and his brothers are limited partners in Los Angeles Golf Club.

A sixth ownership group is expected to be announced in the near future.

"Northern California is both the hub of tech innovation and home to world-class golf courses, some of the most-famous players in history and incredible golf fans, which makes San Francisco a natural choice for our next TGL team," TMRW Sports Group and TGL CEO Mike McCarley said in a statement. "Combining the business expertise of Avenue Capital Group with the championship mentality brought by these NBA superstars, this TGL team will generate a lot of energy in the Bay Area and around the world. We're honored to welcome them to TGL."

Curry, 35, is an avid golfer with a scratch handicap. Earlier this week, he was chosen to receive the Charlie Sifford Award for his work in promoting diversity in golf. Two years ago, he launched "Underrated Golf" to provide equity, access and opportunity to high school athletes around the country. He has also funded the Howard University golf team for six years to help the historically Black college compete at the Division I level.

Curry will receive the award, which is named in honor of the first Black player to become a PGA Tour member in 1961, at the World Golf Hall of Fame ceremony at Pinehurst, North Carolina, on June 10.

TGL finalized its 24-player roster this week with the addition of five players, including Patrick Cantlay and U.S. Open winner Wyndham Clark. Along with McIlroy and Woods, major championship winners Jon Rahm, Collin Morikawa, Justin Thomas, Shane Lowry, Matt Fitzpatrick, Adam Scott, Keegan Bradley and Justin Rose will compete in the league.

The league will consist of six teams with four-man rosters; matches will feature three golfers playing for each team in a match-play format on a virtual course with a short-game complex. The inaugural season will include 15 regular-season matches, followed by semifinals and finals. The matches will be broadcast on ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN+.

Veteran NBA forward Andre Iguodala, the 2015 Finals MVP, announced his retirement from professional basketball after 19 seasons.

“It’s just the right time,” Iguodala told ESPN’s Andscape. “Time started to get limited for me and I didn’t want to put anything in the back seat. I didn’t want to have to try to delegate time anymore. Especially with on the court, off the court with family. A lot.

“You want to play at a high level. But then family is a lot. My son is 16 and then two girls. So, [I’m] looking forward to seeing them grow up in those important years.”

Iguodala, 39, told The New York Times he also will focus on Mosaic, a venture capital firm he co-founded with a business partner. He had contemplated retirement the past few years and played in just 39 games the past two seasons.

Iguodala played two seasons for the Arizona Wildcats, and Philadelphia drafted him with the No. 9 pick in 2004. Playing for the Sixers, Denver Nuggets, Golden State Warriors and Miami Heat, Iguodala averaged 11.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.4 steals. He made the 2012 All-Star Game with Philadelphia and made the All-Defensive team twice (2011, 2014). He finished second in Sixth Man of the Year voting in 2015-16.

Iguodala earned his reputation as a valuable teammate during his time with the Warriors, helping Golden State to championships in 2015, 2017, 2018 and 2022. In the 2015 Finals, the Cleveland Cavaliers and LeBron James had a 2-1 series lead. Warriors coach Steve Kerr decided to put Iguodala in the starting lineup in an effort to limit James.

The Warriors won the final three games of the series, and while James still scored 20, 40 and 32 points in those games, he was just 35-for-89 from the field. Iguodala also averaged 16.3 points, 5.8 rebounds and 4.0 assists in the six-game series.

“I've been preparing for the moment for 11 years now,” he said after Game 6 in 2015. “I've seen him every year I've been in this league. LeBron doesn't have any weaknesses, or he doesn't have a glaring weakness. So you've got to pick up on the smaller things to try to make him uncomfortable. Like knowing which side he likes to shoot threes off the dribble, which side he likes to drive. One side he'll drive left more often, and the other side he'll drive right more often.

“So after 11 years you're just picking up all this information. I'm a basketball junkie, so I watch old players. The '90s was a great era of basketball. I watched so much of that. That just helped me be a student of the game and pick up any moment. It's the 10,000-hour rule. You're just trying to master your craft.”

Iguodala also won gold medals with the U.S. national team at the 2010 FIBA World Cup and 2012 London Olympics.

In a city bustling with nightclubs and live music venues, the last place you might expect to find San Francisco’s best-kept musical secret is tucked into the Noe Valley Farmers’ Market.

Swami 3, a group of young brothers who live in the neighborhood with their family, has become familiar at the weekend market over the past few years, where the boys have captivated busy shoppers with their dazzling performances.

Chronicle photographer Lea Suzuki has followed the band’s steady rise, capturing performances across the city. Suzuki describes Swami 3 as a “modern-day Partridge Family,” referencing the 1970s TV series centered on a traveling family band, with parents Anand and Laura dutifully serving as roadies and wholeheartedly supporting their sons’ musical endeavors.

“The amount of fun that’s infused into music for them is a really big deal,” Anand Swaminathan said. “None of it is about a chore.”

Fueled by their parents’ encouragement, the brothers’ musical education began early, with daily practice sessions at their Noe Valley condo under the guidance of their music teacher, Phil Surtees. Over time, they transitioned from individual players to a harmonious ensemble.

Left: Rohan Swaminathan plays on the piano next to a laptop during a virtual music lesson with longtime music instructor Phil Surtees, not shown. Right: Shaan Swaminathan, head at left and on computer screen right, and music instructor Phil Surtees, on left of computer screen, are seen during a virtual music lesson for Shaan.

“We would go down to the Noe Valley Farmers’ Market every week and enjoy the live performers,” Laura Swaminathan said. “I think that gave them a really good example of what it is to share with your community. And they grew up appreciating that and wanting to emulate it.”

During the pandemic lockdown, the brothers found innovative ways to connect with their community. They performed in front of their building for neighbors and initiated a challenge inviting friends and family to request songs, fostering a sense of unity during the isolating times.

Left: Noah Swaminathan and Laura Swaminathan start to break down the instruments and music equipment after Swami 3 performed at the Noe Valley Farmers’ Market on Sept. 2. Right: Shaan Swaminathan prepares to load his cymbals into the family car after he and his brothers performed at the Noe Valley Farmers’ Market.

Despite juggling their musical passion with academics, sports and friendships, they have performed at various events, including the Haight-Ashbury Street Fair and Thrive City at Chase Center.

“We explained to them that, as parents, we want them to have every option open,” Anand said. “They are straight-A students in school, and we’ve encouraged them that that’s not something they can slip or let go. However, we encourage them that if music is their passion, let’s bring them the resources, the right people, the right context.”

Left: Shaan Swaminathan blows his grandfather Sam Swaminathan a kiss as he thanks him for calling to wish the brothers luck before they perform in their first Thrive City concert on May 16. Right: Noah Swaminathan gets a congratulatory hug from his grandmother Marie Lester after he and his brothers headlined their first concert as Swami 3 for a Thrive City concert at Chase Center on May 16.

Reach Aidin Vaziri: [email protected]