EXCLUSIVE: Uncle Skoob Speaks Before All In!

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The Ballislife All In card features a handful of hoopers who have become synonymous with our brand and the sport of 1 v. 1 hoops in general. However, only a select few have had anywhere near the same impact that Kevin “Uncle Skoob” Kuteyi has had on the scene, amassing over 60 wins, including statement performances against some of the best hoopers in the sport.

Skoob, a native of Lagos, Nigeria, is set to face former Arkansas standout Keyon Menifield at The Orleans Arena in Las Vegas on Friday. The matchup is one of the highlights of a card that’s being called the greatest in 1 v. 1 history, in large part because of how 1 v. 1 fans can always count on Skoob for a show-stopping performance. Even on the rare occasions he goes down, he still gives the fans a performance worth writing home about.

Before his pivotal matchup with Menifield at All In, Uncle Skoob sat down with Ballislife for an exclusive Q&A.

On All In

As someone who’s been a huge part of this 1 v. 1 revolution, what does it mean to you to be a centerpiece of what might be the biggest pay-per-view card of all time here in Las Vegas?

It feels good. I mean, I guess when you end something you don't realize how big it really is, you know what I'm saying? I feel like looking back on it, after it's all said and done, I will appreciate these moments a lot more, you know what I'm saying? But, like, it's like right now I'm just so focused on winning the game and being in the moment, that I can't even really notice how big the moment is, you know?

With Summer League in town at the same time, we’re expecting to see some NBA players and other big names show up to watch the event. Does that give you any added motivation to put on a show or is it still business as usual? 

Yeah, I mean, it's business as usual. But of course, seeing those guys show up to the game, you want to make sure you put on your best performance. But, to be honest, when I'm on that court, it's just me, the basketball, the rim and my opponent. I kind of zone everything out. But knowing that they'll be there, I think that does give me an extra push to just make sure I'm at my best, for sure.

On The Future

All In is set to be our first Ballislife event under the One on One Championships branding. What do you think of the idea of centralizing the sport of 1 v. 1 and having things like legitimate championships and weight classes?

I think that's going to be a big step in the next direction. You don't want it to be a thing where it's just hot for a moment, and then it just dies out. I feel like this could be the start, or this is the start of something that could be talked about in 10, 15 years, where now it's like a professional league, it's kind of like boxing. It has that structure, and I think it's on the verge of being that.

You’re someone who’s seen this 1 v. 1 operation grow from small gyms to an arena in Las Vegas. What does it mean for you to be a part of that growth and how far do you think the 1 on 1 Championship can go in the future?

Sometimes I feel like I don't see it getting any further because it's just like, damn, we're playing in an arena. So, I mean, what's next? But I think the sky's the limit, though, you know, especially with all the players tapping in and the pros coming into the space and actually respecting the space. It's going to come down to players being able to take care of themselves and feed their families. I think it's going to come to a point where you could see guys coming in from college.

A lot of people, like myself, go to college, and sometimes the system may not work or the NBA may not work or even playing overseas may not work, but they just have that skill for the 1 v. 1, and they'll be leaving college to get in the 1 v. 1 league. I think it'll become that. It's like, you'll have the amateurs, which is like the league that's not professional, but still certified. Then you'll have the Ballislife League or whatever other leagues that's the professional level. When you make it to that, that's when your record starts. I literally see it being just like boxing, if not better.

We’ve been to North Carolina, Toronto and San Francisco recently. After Las Vegas, are there any cities in particular that you would want the opportunity to play an event in?

I think it's about that time we take it abroad, man. Honestly, it doesn't even matter where. Like, we've been to China with Ballislife, but we haven't done a one-on-one event like how we do, you know? I think just going somewhere abroad, doesn't have to be China, but just somewhere where there's athletes that embrace the one-on-one scene and want to play, I think we go there, man.

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