Et tu Booker? The former 'Cat wore custom Arkansas and Duke shoes on the court

When John Calipari made the move to Arkansas, Big Blue Nation knew that former players could very well support their old coach in the form of rooting for the Hogs on occasion. It is the ugly reality of the business. That doesn’t make it hurt any less to see beloved Wildcats wearing the other teams’ gear. It started with PJ Washington showing up in Fayetteville and posing in a Razorback shirt. Then, in the most famous case of t-shirt malpractice, Kentucky’s favorite son, Reed Sheppard, repped the Hogs on the same day Calipari returned to Rupp Arena to play his old team for the first time. Now, NBA All-Star Devin Booker has joined the fray of former ‘Cats donning Arkansas garb.

Nike just released Booker’s newest shoe, the Book 2s, and they are pretty sweet. Their “Must Be the Denim” colorway served as the centerpiece of the promotion for the 30th anniversary of the 1996 national title team, with Kentucky fans lined up around the block to cop a pair.

However, just a couple of weeks removed from this All-Kentucky denim blowout, Booker wore custom Arkansas Player Edition versions of his signature shoe in a Phoenix Suns game. I may have vomited a little bit in my mouth.

Book 2: University of Arkansas PE pic.twitter.com/uelbsApmeh

— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) March 7, 2026

It is not uncommon for Nike schools to make player edition colorways of the brand’s signature shoes. But did Book have to wear them during a game? I get that there is a horde of Arkansas fans logging onto the SNKR app looking for Book 2s now, and that level of promotion is the whole point, but it still pains the soul seeing one of the most elite Wildats stars wearing Razorback kicks.

Booker also wore a pair of custom Duke shoes

If wearing Arkansas sneakers wasn’t bad enough, Booker also wore Duke Player Edition colorways in another Suns game last week. Book has three former Blue Devil teammates in Grayson Allen, Mark Williams, and Khaman Maluach, so I’m sure they had something to do with it, but come on, man. USC is one thing, but Duke? Really? What’s next? Louisville? Tennessee?

❗️New Nike Book 2 PE

Before tip off, Devin Booker switched from “The Valley PE to his Nike Book 2 “Blue Devils” PE, a nod to Duke University Basketball, another college PE as March Madness approaches. pic.twitter.com/SeR8EaNUfq

— Dbookone (@nikebook1) March 6, 2026

Again, it isn’t totally unfounded for NBA stars to rock random colleges as part of a promotion for their signature shoes. Take LeBron James, for example. He wore a pair of Kentucky-themed LeBron 23s earlier this year that got BBN sneakerheads abuzz. He has also rocked Ohio State PEs as well.

But you know, LeBron James did not go to college. And while he did serve as the Y at Rupp once, you can forgive him for not having loyalty to a singular university. Booker, on the other hand, was part of one of the most beloved teams in Kentucky history. Sure, he is more than 10 years removed from his time in Lexington, but Big Blue Nation is forever. He might be an international superstar, but he’s a ‘Cat above all else. Right? I mean, right?

By no means am I ready to make Booker an outcast for his footwear crimes. He has rocked Kentucky shoes many times and has been great to Big Blue Nation when it comes to their accessibility, with the women’s basketball team wearing Kentucky Player Edition Book 2s just this week for the SEC Tournament. Mark Pope also showed off a pair of Kentucky PEs of the Book 1s in his first year on the job. But in my fantasy world of all former players staying as loyal to the school as fans, seeing those Arkansas and Duke logos on his feet was a jab to the gut.

Having said all that, I’m not planning on shelving my denim Blue Blood Book 1s anytime soon.