Nolan Richardson has priceless reaction to news he’ll receive a statue at Bud Walton Arena
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Arkansas is cruising to an emphatic win over Texas on Wednesday night, but the Razorback faithful have another reason to cheer.
During halftime of the game, Arkansas Athletic Director Hunter Yurachek joined former head coach Nolan Richardson at the center of the floor. Yurachek then revealed to the crowd that the school has plans in the works to construct a statue of Richardson in front of Bud Walton Arena.
Richardson was stunned and grinning ear-to-ear upon hearing the news, with the home crowd bursting into a cacophony of noise as well. After glancing at the video board to see the rendering, Richardson then ‘called the Hogs’ along with the fans.
Given Richardson’s history with the Arkansas program, the news of a statue being built should come as little surprise. The former Texas Western forward coached the Razorbacks from 1985-2002 and notably led the 1994 squad to a national title.
Across stints in the Southwest Conference and the SEC, Richardson led the Razorbacks to a 389-169 overall record during his years on campus. He was perhaps best-known for his trademark “40 minutes of Hell” playing style that his teams employed, which was defined by the Hogs’ intense ball pressure and unmatched conditioning. Richardson has already been inducted into both the College Basketball and Basketball Hall of Fames.
Arkansas has a 48% chance to reach the Sweet 16 per Kalshi. Here’s a look at some of the top odds:
Parker is currently the sports editor for the Enterprise-Journal in McComb, Mississippi. He's a graduate from Mizzou who has experience covering the Tiger football and basketball beats for SB Nation, and he's worked for a variety of sports news outlets in the past.
