Will Kentucky vs. Arkansas be Revenge Game No. 2 for Jaxson Robinson?

The big storyline going into tomorrow’s Kentucky vs. Arkansas game is John Calipari’s return to Rupp Arena — and rightly so. Calipari was Kentucky’s coach for 15 years and will walk into the building where he won 234 games as an opponent, a moment Kentucky fans have been looking forward to since he left; however, Calipari, Adou Thiero, DJ Wagner, and Zvonimir Ivisic won’t be the only players facing off against their former schools. Jaxson Robinson played one season at Arkansas, 2021-22, before transferring to BYU.

So far this season, Robinson has already gotten revenge against his first school, Texas A&M, scoring 22 points and grabbing eight rebounds in Kentucky’s 81-69 win over the Aggies. Robinson was uncharacteristically chesty that day in Rupp, whipping around after hitting threes to chirp at the A&M bench. It was odd because it seemed like Robinson and A&M parted on good terms, with Robinson simply looking for a fresh start after a bad COVID season. If anything, it felt like his ire would be directed toward Arkansas. Robinson does not like to talk about leaving Fayetteville or his old coach Eric Musselman, but his mother Brandi told KSR said it was as down as she’d ever seen her son.

“I think the only time that I ever saw Jaxson get low and seem to question himself as a player was when he left Arkansas,” Brandi Robinson-McWilliams said earlier this season. “That was a really hard situation and how things went are not how -– I don’t think they should have gone that way. And it was really hard for his mind to understand. You know, he’s 19 years old, and it was a huge change, and he didn’t expect it, and he’s kind of taken aback by it.”

“That was probably the first time I ever heard him out loud question his ability to play basketball, if this really what was for him.”

Of course, since then, Robinson found success with Pope and there’s been a changing of the guard at Arkansas. When Andy Enfield left USC for SMU, Eric Musselman headed west to replace him. That led to Calipari taking Musselman’s spot in Fayetteville and Mark Pope returning to Lexington and ultimately bringing Jaxson Robinson with him. Musselman is clearly a sore subject for Robinson, as we saw when the late great Bob Holt asked him about his former coach at SEC Basketball Media Day.

“Nah, I don’t really have anything to say about Coach Muss, to be honest,” he said, shaking his head.

Jaxson Robinson on if he learned anything from former Arkansas coach Eric Musselman… pic.twitter.com/qFyMhgylBR

— Inside Arkansas (@InsideArkansas) October 15, 2024

Will Robinson still hold a grudge against the Razorbacks even though Musselman is gone? The only player on Arkansas’ roster who was there when Robinson was is senior forward Lawson Blake. Outside of a few support staff members, everyone else is gone.

“It’s just a game,” Robinson said earlier this week when asked if this game held special meaning. “I don’t really have much to say, honestly. That’s it.”

Robinson has been on a tear lately, hitting 22-44 threes over the last four games. If Lamont Butler is out, he will likely start at point guard again. Kentucky is a double-digit favorite in tomorrow night’s game, but with emotions high, the Cats can’t afford to lose at home to one of the worst teams in the SEC. Maybe seeing Razorback red will stoke some vengeful fires for No. 2.

Subscribe to the KSR YouTube Channel for press conferences, interviews, original shows, fan features, and exclusive content.