To say that Kirk Archibeque commands attention is an understatement. Standing 6’8” and weighing nearly 250 pounds, Archibeque captivates attention in any room that he enters. Five years into his professional basketball career, Archibeque has enjoyed a level of success that few athletes from Cortez ever have. Over the course of his basketball career, he has earned numerous accolades, come to appreciate the importance of family and life in a small town, and experienced the excitement that comes with being a professional athlete. More than a decade removed from his graduation from Montezuma-Cortez High School in 2002, Archibeque remains true to his Cortez roots and hopeful that he can provide inspiration to future generations of Cortez athletes.
A SPECIAL SEASON
Before the 2012-2013-basketball season, Archibeque enjoyed varying levels of success while playing professional basketball in Europe. Although he was an impact player who showed flashes of brilliance, he was never consistently dominant. After working out and practicing with NBA players Nene and Louis Amundson during the summer of 2012, he began the 2012 season in the best shape of his career.
Playing for MIA Academy, a team headquartered in the country of Georgia, Archibeque made an immediate impact. During the regular season, he averaged 20.0 points per game and 12.6 rebounds per game. Those numbers were good enough to rank him third in the Georgia Superleague in scoring and first in the Georgia Superleague in rebounding. His dominance did not go unnoticed by Superleague coaches, who voted him player of the week seven times over the course of the Superleague’s 20-week season. At the end of the season, Archibeque received the Import Player of the Year Award, which is given to the best non-Georgian player in the Superleague, and the Newcomer of the Year Award, which is presented to the League’s best new arrival.
Due in large part to Archibeque’s individual success, MIA Academy had a historic season. The team finished the regular season tied for first in the Georgian Superleague with a record of seventeen wins and three losses. The first place finish was the highest in team history. Following its stellar regular season, MIA marched through the league playoffs, eventually winning the Georgian Cup and being crowned Georgian Champs.
Reflecting on the 2012-2013 season, Archibeque expressed pride in his team’s accomplishments.
“I’m so proud of what our team accomplished this year,” he said. “We had a great group of guys who pulled together to accomplish great things.”
In the same way that winning the state title as a high school junior created a lifelong memory, winning the Georgian Superleague title was an experience that Archibeque will remember for the rest of his life.
FORMATIVE YEARS
Long before Archibeque’s special 2012-2013 season, the foundations of his success were built growing up in Cortez.
Born to Bob and Vicki Archibeque, he quickly came to appreciate the importance of hard work.
“My family always taught me that you can always outwork your competition,” said Archibeque. “You might not be able to outrun someone or outjump someone, but you can always outwork them. I would not have my work ethic or drive if not for the lessons I learned from my parents, grandparents, and the rest of my family.”
Along with strong family influences, Archibeque credits high school basketball coach, Wade Mortensen, with helping to pave the road to success. Archibeque played four seasons of high school basketball under Coach Mortensen, a legendary basketball mind who enjoyed a highly successful 16-year coaching career at Montezuma Cortez High School.
“Coach Mortensen was a great coach,” said Archibeque. “He got us all playing together at a young age. With Coach Mortensen, everything was competitive. Every day in practice we competed, and nobody wanted to lose. That competitive edge stuck with me and helped me become the player I am today.”
Archibeque is quick to point out that growing up in Cortez contributed to his success.
“Growing up in Cortez, nothing is given to you,” he said. “So many people in town work hard and seeing that helped make me who I am.”
LIFE AS A PROFESSIONAL ATHLETE
For the vast majority of Cortez natives, life as a professional athlete is difficult to comprehend. For Archibeque, such a life has become a reality.
Speaking about the hard work that his job requires, he said, “During the offseason, I do a cardio workout and lift weights for two hours in the morning. In the afternoon, I go to the gym for another two hours and work on my jump shot, my footwork, and my overall game.”
During the season, he participates in one or two practices per day, depending on the time of the season. Practices generally last an average of two hours. He also plays an average of one or two games per week, depending on the time of year.
Even with the time commitments that his job requires, Archibeque plans to extend his playing career as long as he can.
“I plan on continuing to play for as long as my body holds up,” he said. “I’m hoping for at least five more years.”
When not working out, practicing, or playing games, he spends his time enjoying life in Europe.
“If you don’t open yourself up to the language and culture, it’s going to be a tough time.
“I’ve picked up quite a bit of Polish over the course of my career and I’ve ben able to go out and enjoy different parts of the culture, which has been nice.”
Above all, Archibeque credits his wife and daughter for helping him to navigate the challenges of life on a foreign continent.
“Life here gets lonely if you don’t have a good core of people around you,” he said. “If my family wasn’t in Europe with me, there is no way I would be able to do what I do. My wife has been a real soldier. Our family is finally starting to see the brighter side of life as far as basketball goes. Of his young daughter, Archibeque stated, “She puts a smile on my face every day.”
WORDS OF WISDOM
Five years into his professional basketball career, Archibeque has experienced both life in Cortez and life as a professional athlete abroad. In light of his experiences, he offers the following advice to young people growing up in Cortez.
“Don’t let anyone tell you no,” says Archibeque. “Everyone told me growing up, ‘You’re too slow, you’re from Cortez, you’ll never make it.’ Don’t ever put a limit on yourself.
Archibeque has no doubt that young people from Cortez can reach the pinnacle of college or professional athletics.
“It’s just a matter of perfecting your skills,” said Archibeque. “There are lots of different types of players on teams. Some people score, some people play defense, and some people are great teammates.
“Just work hard and you will be fine.”
imaclaren@cortezjournal.com
