Overview
- Haliburton’s X post, shared Sunday after the Cyclones beat Kentucky 82-63, joked that many former Wildcats now see themselves as Arkansas alums.
- Iowa State’s win featured 26 points from Tamin Lipsey and 20 from Milan Momcilovic, and ESPN noted Kentucky’s 19-point defeat was its largest NCAA loss since 1972.
- Calipari left Kentucky for Arkansas in April 2024, and recent examples of player affinity include Shai Gilgeous-Alexander naming either Arkansas or Kentucky, Cason Wallace picking Arkansas, P.J. Washington visiting in Razorbacks gear, and Reed Sheppard wearing mixed-team apparel.
- An Iowa State alum and Indiana Pacers All-Star, Haliburton is recovering from a torn right Achilles suffered in Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals, which has kept him active on social media during March Madness.
- Reactions under the post skewed hostile from Kentucky fans, as covered bluntly by OutKick, while ESPN focused on game context and the trend of shifting alumni ties, with outlets also noting Kentucky’s deep roster of NBA alumni to frame the stakes of the identity tug-of-war.