Young Archie Goodwin brings a lot to the Phoenix Suns’ table
Jun 29, 2013, 12:31 AM | Updated: 3:10 am
The Phoenix Suns could use a scorer, someone who they can give the ball to and say, “go get us some points.”
They’re hoping Archie Goodwin, who they nabbed with the 29th selection in Thursday’s draft, will be that player.
Someday.
“I have a lot of room to grow, I’m only 18,” Goodwin said at his introductory press conference Friday.
The youngest American player in the draft pool, Goodwin comes to the Suns after averaging 14.1 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game for Kentucky last year.
Known for having elite quickness and athleticism, the raw prospect is someone Suns general manager Ryan McDonough said the team was targeting throughout the entire night. So, when they saw him slipping closer to their spot at 30, the team decided to be aggressive and move up. So, they got their guy at 29, and they couldn’t be happier.
“Archie’s a guy we had rated very highly on our draft board,” McDonough said. “We, frankly, didn’t think he’d be there for us when we were picking at the very end of the first round and we were trying like heck to get a pick up higher to take him.”
So, the Suns got their guy, landing a player who admits he could afford to get stronger as well as improve his shot, ball handling and overall basketball IQ.
“There’s a lot of things I have to work on and that’s why I’m going to get started right away, as soon as possible.”
And again, Goodwin is still only 18, so odds are he’s not anything close to a finished product. But at 6-foot-5 with a 6-10 wingspan, the tools are certainly there.
Goodwin’s new coach, Jeff Hornacek, is confident Goodwin will do all he can to make the most of his ability, saying the player has shown he’ll be willing to work hard in order to improve.
“He’s got a bright future and he can do a lot of things for us,” the coach said. “Especially in the open game that we want to run.”
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