Tyrese Haliburton's 'Arkansas alum' joke after Kentucky's loss to Iowa State rings considerably true

[ad_1] Like most comedy, Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton's joke in regards to the Kentucky Wildcats incorporates a kernel of fact.

The Wildcats misplaced 83-62 to the Iowa State Cyclones within the Spherical of 32 of the NCAA Event on Sunday. Following the loss, Haliburton, an Iowa State alum, trolled the SEC program on X.

"Went to textual content the fellows who performed at Kentucky about this sport and forgot they suppose they Arkansas alum now," wrote Haliburton.

Haliburton is not completely kidding. Many gamers who performed for former Kentucky head coach John Calipari have been rooting for the Arkansas Razorbacks since he left for the SEC rival in 2024.

How have former Kentucky gamers supported John Calipari since he joined Arkansas? Earlier than March Insanity started, the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder posted a video on X asking gamers who would win the nationwide championship. Guards Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Cason Wallace, each of whom performed for Calipari at Kentucky, picked Arkansas. Gilgeous-Alexander talked about the Wildcats as his second decide, however Wallace was all-in on the Razorbacks.

"Coach Cal?" the Thunder administrator requested Wallace, who replied, "Yeah."

Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker, who additionally starred for Calipari at Kentucky, despatched the Razorbacks sneakers earlier than final season's Candy 16. Earlier than the 2026 SEC Event, he donned pink sneakers with a Razorbacks emblem.

Why is that this an issue for Kentucky? NBA stars endorsing Calipari will persuade recruits they need to play for the coach, despite the fact that he is not at a standard basketball energy. That possible helped him land freshman guard Darius Acuff Jr.

Acuff, a 2025-26 first-team All-American, has averaged 30 factors per sport on an excellent 48.8 p.c taking pictures from the sector in two March Insanity video games. He scored 36 factors in a 94-88 win over the No. 12-seed Excessive Level Panthers within the second spherical, main the No. 4-seed Razorbacks to a second straight Candy 16, the place they'll face the No. 1-seeded Arizona Wildcats on Thursday (9:45 p.m. ET, CBS).

Extra proficient recruits will quickly be coming to Fayetteville. As of Monday, 247 Sports activities ranks Arkansas' 2026 class No. 1 within the SEC.

Kentucky, in the meantime, has shifted its focus to the switch portal since HC Mark Pope changed Calipari. It reportedly spent $22M on its roster this season. That a lot to fail to advance previous the second spherical of the NCAA Event for the fourth time in 5 years?

The reported price ticket raises extra questions on Kentucky's capacity to establish and appeal to prime expertise. Pope, nevertheless, stays assured that elite gamers need to play for the Wildcats.

"That is the best place to play basketball on the earth," Pope stated after the loss to Iowa State, per the college's web site.

Whereas Kentucky is taken into account an important place, many gamers do not care. They need to compete for somebody who provides them an opportunity to make the NBA. Arkansas clearly has that in Calipari, who has lots of his former Kentucky standouts chanting "Woo Pig Sooie" as a substitute of "Go Large Blue."