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Trevon Brazile steals show at Arkansas' Primetime at the Palace event

Longest tenured player wins dunk contest with assist from new teammate
Daniel Shi|
Arkansas Razorbacks Trevon Brazile comes out being introduced to the crowd at the Primetime at the Palace event at Bud Walton Arena officially getting basketball rolling Friday night.
Arkansas Razorbacks Trevon Brazile comes out being introduced to the crowd at the Primetime at the Palace event at Bud Walton Arena officially getting basketball rolling Friday night. | Munir El Khatib-allHOGS Images

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Arkansas Razorbacks

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — There's not much to take away in the Xs and Os department from a night where defense was optional, perhaps even discouraged, but Trevon Brazile stole the show for Arkansas in the "Primetime at the Palace" event.

The free event featured introductions for both the Razorbacks men and women's teams and both a dunk contest and three-point shooting contest. Fans packed the lower bowl to get the first glimpse of their new team.

Freshman Meleek Thomas won the three-point shooting contest over Jaden Karuletwa, but one of the loudest cheers came when Brazile dunked over his new teammate Elmir Dzafic.

Brazile cleared the 7-foot-1 Dzafic with ease, adding to his long list of highlight reel dunks across his time at Arkansas.

Brazile enters his second season under Calipari and is the longest-tenured Razorback on the team, spending the final two years of the Eric Musselman era as a Hog.

Billy Richmond and Nick Pringle rounded out the podium. The judging panel consisted of former players and current Razorback women's players.

The two teams also played an abbreviated eight-minute scrimmage that was originally scheduled for 10 minutes before a laser show interrupted proceedings and rounded out the night.

Both coaches also addressed the crowd for the first time. Musick kept her message short and sweet, asking for the fans support in her first season.

Musick inherits a rebuild after Arkansas women's basketball went 10-22 in 2024-25, including 3-14 in SEC play. The Razorbacks are looking for their first win in the NCAA Tournament since 2015.

Calipari asked for the event to become a yearly tradition, but also continued to project confidence about the potential of the team.

"Last year was the start," Calipari said. "Now it's time for us to build on that foundation. Will they continue to work hard every day walking in? Will they continue to care about one another, to out care all these other teams? If they do that, there's no limit to how far this team can go.”

Calipari also couldn't help himself when addressing the Bud Walton crowd about the time that he got a different cheer, getting kicked out of the arena as a visiting coach with Kentucky. Baseball coach Dave Van Horn infamously joined the crowd in serenading Calipari off the floor before the Wildcats came back and won the game.

"Bud Walton Arena is one of the hardest places for an opponent to come in and win because of you,” Calipari said. “It's because of you. I know first hand. About six years ago, I had the biggest ovation I've ever had in my life because I got a tossed, they threw me out. We still won. I say all that to you to say, man, I look up and Coach Van Horn is waving to me as I walk off the court."

Arkansas will get its first chance to experience the Bud Walton crowd against an outside opponent in a charity exhibition against Cincinnati. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. Oct. 24. The game will be streamed on SECN+.

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Daniel Shi
DANIEL SHI

Covers baseball, football and basketball for Arkansas Razorback on SI since 2023, previously writing for FanSided. Currently a student at the University of Arkansas. He’s been repeatedly jaded by the Los Angeles Angels since 2014. Probably silently humming along to whatever the band is playing in the press box. Follow me on X: @dsh12

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