Nick Boyd had the game of his life and his best game in a Wisconsin Badgers uniform. He was one rebound shy of a triple-double and Wisconsin basketball history. He finished with 27 points, 10 assists, and nine rebounds against Iowa. He did all that with only one turnover. That's as elite a point guard performance as you will see in the entire country, much less the Big Ten.
Which is why he was genuinely offended and fired up by a reporter's question in the post-game press conference. He was asked, "Nick, there are some really, really good point guards in the Big Ten this year. You've gone up against a couple of them recently and held your own. Do you take those matchups personally?"
The look on Boyd's face could penetrate concrete, he said, "What are you talking about, 'held my own'?" He shook his head and repeated the words, 'held my own.' His exasperation was clear, and the reporter quickly jumped in by saying that his reaction gives the answer; he clearly takes those matchups personally.
Nick Boyd says that he came to Wisconsin and the Big Ten to compete against the best
Related: Nick Boyd showed vs. Iowa why Wisconsin could be a problem in March
Boyd was fired up, but he did eventually answer the question by stating that he came to Wisconsin and the Big Ten so he could compete against the best: "I like to compete."
Yet, his first response was not the PR version he cleaned up after. His offense off the cuff reveals how he sees himself in the Big Ten. He doesn't just want to compete against the best or "hold his own" against the best; he sees himself as the best.
He out-dueled Iowa's Bennett Stirtz today, Michigan State's Jeremy Fears earlier this season, UCLA's Donovan Dent a few weeks back, and more. He may not get the acclaim that these players get nationally, but head-to-head, he beats them all. That's what really matters. When asked about his stat line, he said, "None of that matters if you don't win."
This is the mindset that Nick Boyd has, and he wears that chip on his shoulder; he isn't trying to be one of the point guards. He wants to be the top point guard because competing for Boyd isn't just about the competition; it's about pushing yourself to the top.