Tyrese Haliburton has been making waves in the basketball community, even from the sidelines. After leading the Pacers to the NBA Finals last summer, he faced a setback with a torn Achilles tendon during game seven. As he recovers, Haliburton has had ample time to catch up on basketball, including Sunday's NCAA Tournament action, where he didn’t hold back on his thoughts about Kentucky.
Before his rise with the Pacers, Haliburton was a standout at Iowa State. During his two years there, he earned All-Big 12 honors in 2020 with impressive stats: 15.2 points, 6.5 assists, 5.9 rebounds, and 2.5 steals per game.
This season, Haliburton has been seen supporting Iowa State in person a few times. Although he wasn’t present in St. Louis on Sunday, he had a cheeky response to Iowa State's dominant 19-point victory over Kentucky.
"Went to text the guys who played at Kentucky about this game and forgot they think they Arkansas alum now🤣" he tweeted.
Despite never playing in the NCAA Tournament himself, Haliburton enjoyed seeing his Cyclones shine on the big stage.
Reed Sheppard's Wardrobe Choice
Reed Sheppard stirred up some chatter among Kentucky fans with his choice of attire. On the day John Calipari returned to Rupp Arena, Sheppard sported both Arkansas and Kentucky gear at a Rockets game. This mix-up still irks some Kentucky supporters, which is why former UK guard Maci Morris highlighted Sheppard’s Kentucky pride after he delivered an impressive performance with 23 points, 14 assists, and four steals against the Miami Heat.
Kentucky’s Tournament Drought
As we delve into the world of NBA Twitter, it's hard to ignore Kentucky's recent struggles. The Wildcats haven't reached an Elite Eight since 2019, marking the longest drought in the program's storied history. Tyrese Maxey, now an NBA All-Star with the Sixers, reflected on his missed NCAA Tournament opportunity, especially on the day Otega Oweh stole the spotlight in the NCAA Tournament.
It's a reminder of what could have been for Kentucky, as their fans continue to hope for a return to their former glory.