Gossypioides kirkii, as an ancestor of cotton, maintains a key evolutionary position in the history of cotton (Gossypium). It’s relatively small and simple genome is equidistant (5-10 million years) from the 8 diploid genome groups ‘A’ through ‘G’, including those cultivated for their spinnable fiber (consisting mainly of the diploid ‘A’ G. arboreum and G. herbaceum genomes and the allo-tetraploid ‘AD’ G. hirsutum, G. barbadense genomes). Further, G. kirkii is closely related to cacao, another recently sequenced and economically-important genome from the same family (Malvaceae). Cacao has the family’s typical seed-born hairs that have evolved into spinnable fiber in the cotton lineage. The G. kirkii genome sequence will provide an interesting comparison in the study of the evolution of seed-born hairs into spinnable fiber within the Malvaceae. A preliminary assembly captured the vast majority of the genome (98% of read pairs were incorporated) and the majority of the cotton family gene complement. This genome will be mined for genes known to be involved in cotton fiber morphogenesis and also compared to the cacao genome overall and within pathways contributing to seed coat hairs.