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LAS VEGAS – There’s been a lot of 1 v. 1 matchups throughout the last few years that simply carried a bit more weight than the others, but it wouldn’t be at all crazy to say that Archie Goodwin vs. Nasir Core at Ballislife’s All In on July 10 stands above them all in terms of importance and what it means for the future of the space.
It’s no secret what Nasir Core and his 35-game win streak have meant to the movement. He’s taken all challengers and has beaten opponents in all fashions, whether it was a come-from-behind effort where he has to change his gameplan or steady dominance where he had the upper hand throughout. He’s given fans a hero to root for or a villain to cheer against depending on what you think of his representation of the sport, and whether you love or hate him, one thing that’s for sure is that you’re going to watch him.
It’s also no secret that Nas will be facing, undoubtedly, his toughest test yet in Archie Goodwin on July 10. Goodwin is the first active pro to answer Nas’ open challenge and he’s been unmistakably confident that he’ll be the one to stop Nas’ win streak, regardless of the fact that he’s made his living as a five-on-five professional as opposed to being a 1 v.1 specialist. And to be fair, he has good reason to be.
Earned Confidence
Archie is not just an active professional, he was one of the top recruits in the country coming out of Sylvan Hills (Sherwood, Ark.) in 2012 and was a standout during his lone season at Kentucky in 2012-13, averaging 14.1 points per game. He entered the draft after his SEC All-Freshman season and was selected 29th overall by the Oklahoma City Thunder but had his draft rights traded to the Phoenix Suns that same evening. His best NBA season was in a Suns uniform in 2015-16, as he averaged 8.5, 2.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists while making 13 starts that season.
Goodwin has continued his career overseas for the better part of the last decade, even earning MVP honors in the 2020 Turkish Basketball Super League All-Star Game. Considering all the places he’s been in his career, he believes his skillset and the experience he’s acquired through the years will allow him to adjust to the rigors of 1 v. 1.
“I’m always confident no matter who I’m playing against,” Goodwin told Ballislife. “I’ve been battle tested since high school, being one of the top players, then coming to Kentucky and just being a productive player pretty much everywhere I’ve been with that opportunity. I have experience playing a lot of basketball, regardless if it’s one-on-one or five-on-five. I don’t think it really makes a difference when you have the experience and the skill set, I think you can adapt pretty well, and that’s what I plan on doing.”
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More To Lose?
Although 1 v.1 is a functionally different sport than 5 v. 5 is at its core, Archie’s skillset in the 5 v. 5 game is exactly the kind that translates well to 1 v. 1. He’s a pure scorer who can connect at all three levels and thrives in isolation. Still, there is always a slight difference in preparation when its just mano e mano.
“Some of the stuff I’ll work on, it might be a little different,” Goodwin said. “Doing 5 v. 5, you might work on pick and roll stuff and things of that nature where it’s none of that in one-on-one. It’s more so about isolation moves, which is a part of what I work on anyway because I’m a scorer, so you have to be able to score in different ways. I think that it’s just more so keying in on isolation moves that I’m comfortable using and doing and then just translating that to one-on-one.”
It also speaks to Goodwin’s confidence that he accepted the challenge to face Nas to begin with. The common sentiment among professionals, whether currently in the NBA or playing overseas, is that the risk involved with facing a 1 v. 1 specialist isn’t worth the reward. A loss would undoubtedly hurt the professional’s reputation, while it would only serve as a springboard and reputation builder for the streetballer. In other words, the professionals always believe they have more to lose. Oftentimes, it’s true.
Back Up What You Say
In Archie’s case, being the one to end Nas’ win streak wouldn’t necessarily be a matter of pride, like it would be to so many other professionals who have taken an exception in recent months. For Archie, it’s just a matter of answering the call out and forcing Nas to back up everything he’s said. He knows the ridicule will be coming if he loses, but it’s also not something he’s necessarily concerned about given all of the opportunities he still has professionally.
“It’s not even a pride thing, because it all starts from these guys coming at pros,” Goodwin said. “It’s not necessarily pros coming at them, so I don’t think it’s a pride thing. I just think it’s more like, ‘Okay, you just said that you can beat me, now back it up’. Whether I win or lose, my confidence in who I am as a player doesn’t change.
“Obviously we’re in the internet world, a loss would mean a lot of scrutiny, but that wouldn’t affect my day-to-day. That wouldn’t affect my professional side. I’m still gonna get contracts. It’s just more so of a thing, like, you called me out. You feel you’re confident, you’ve made a name for yourself as a basketball player through this space and I’ve made a name for myself another way, and we’ll clash and see who’s better that day.”
Make no mistake, Archie’s confidence that he’ll be the one to end Nas’ streak is supreme. Not only does he believe he’s going to be the one to end it, he believes he’ll do it in convincing fashion.
“I believe that I’ll win by double digits,” Goodwin said. “I don’t necessarily know by how much, but I do believe that I’ll beat Nas by double digits.”
What’s Next?
And if Archie does beat Nas? Well, all the cards for the future of the One on One Championship may very well be in his hands.
“I think that honestly when I beat Nas, it will come down to (who I want to face),” Goodwin said. “Because my whole get up was more so Youtuber vs. Pro, I think that’s what draws people in. Nas has made his name for himself as a Youtuber and everybody knows me for being a high level basketball player as a pro.
“Michael Beasley vs. Lance Stephenson was very dope and we all enjoyed that, but I don’t think that game, even with the caliber of players they are, had more behind it than this game … If the price is hot for me to play against another pro then you know I could always make that happen, but I just think that the Pro vs. Youtube thing is way bigger and has more behind it for me.”
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