Philly.com – Andre Iguodala is a first-time all-star, a selection in which winning trumped individual scoring statistics. The Sixers are 18-8 and entered Thursday as the No. 3 team in the Eastern Conference. Iguodala, 28, was among the seven Eastern Conference reserves named Thursday night. The NBA All-Star Game is scheduled for Feb. 26 in Orlando. Last week, the starters – selected by the fans – were announced. The Eastern Conference head coaches picked the reserves. The coaches had to select two guards, two forwards, a center, and two wild cards; they couldn’t vote for their own players.

Sure, he isn’t what you’d consider a household name and sure he averages less points per game than, say, all 40 guys on the first page of ESPN’s top scorers list, but anybody who has watched the Sixers this season knows that ‘Dre is the glue that keeps this machine running smoothly. The oil that makes all the parts stick together. He’s the man, the one guy that Sixers fans can point to and say, “Yeah, he’s our best player.   Probably.”

In all seriousness, the guy deserved the hell out of this opportunity. The NBA couldn’t have an All-Star game with zero Sixers on the floor — it’d be insulting to Doug Collins and basketball purists everywhere. Andre Iguodala may not have been the 30 plus-point perennial dominant force that the Sixers (or the fans) imagined he would be when they signed him to that boobillion dollar contract, but he’s done nothing short of led this very young team to the top the the division.  Without his defense, his ball handling from the 3, or his finishing ability the team wouldn’t be close to as good as they are now. Which is a fantastic “Fuck You” by Iggy to the assholes in Philly who’ve been calling for his head over the years. Including me.

Congrats Andre. Fucking dunk on somebody for us.