LITTLE ROCK — Coach Mike Anderson and Arkansas made a strong push toward landing the most sought after basketball recruit the state has produced in recent memory. But in the end, they could not overcome Kentucky.
Sylvan Hills’ Archie Goodwin, the nation’s No. 13 prospect according to ESPN and the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette’s Mr. Basketball last season, gave the Wildcats an oral commitment late Tuesday night.
“I feel like I fit in academically and athletically there,” Goodwin said Wednesday. “I have a special bond with the coaches and players there. That’s what you’re looking for.”
Scout.com national recruiting analyst Evan Daniels said he believes Goodwin will fit in well with Kentucky’s dribble-drive offense,but Daniels also said Arkansas did its best to land the highly recruited guard.
“They tried to get him, but Kentucky’s been working on recruiting Archie for quite some time,” Daniels said. “[Kentucky] had him on campus as an underclassman, and they’ve been involved with him for awhile. So this wasn’t something that just kind of came about.”
Goodwin, 6-4, 180 pounds, had scholarship offers from approximately 50 schools, but he had recently narrowed his list to Kentucky, Arkansas and Memphis. He averaged 29 points, 8 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game as a junior while leading Sylvan Hills to the Class 5A state championship game.
Goodwin said he felt he gave all the schools recruiting him a fair chance to make their pitch, and there was nothing Anderson and his staff could have done to help sway him to Fayetteville.
A desire to play for Wildcats Coach John Calipari put Kentucky over the top.
“I can honestly say [the Razorbacks] have a great coaching staff, and I have nothing but love for those guys. But in the end it just came down to the feeling I had,” Goodwin said. “I wasn’t fortunate enough to grow up during the time Coach Anderson was [previously] with Arkansas. I followed him at Missouri, but when I came up the hottest name, the hottest commodity, in coaching was Coach Cal.
“Ever since I was young, that was always the guy I watched and always studied and looked up to.”
Goodwin said it was difficult to say no to Arkansas, where fans often expect high-caliber prospects from the state to attend, but he felt comfortable with his decision thanks to the approval of his family and friends.
“I just had a gut feeling that I should do something different,” he said.
Goodwin said he appreciates the people who have supported him in Arkansas.
“I’ll always have Arkansas in my heart,” Goodwin said. “This is where I’m from. Nothing will ever change that just because of what college I’ll be going to.
“Hopefully everybody can understand that and know I’m sincere in what I’m saying.”
Sports, Pages 15 on 09/22/2011