Hogs’ newcomers formed connections quickly

FAYETTEVILLE — One key question consumed the first day El Ellis and Khalif Battle spent together after arriving at Arkansas.

Where are we going to eat?

Ellis and Battle, Razorbacks newcomers who transferred in from Louisville and Temple, respectively, wanted different things. The former Cardinals guard preferred hibachi, and Battle suggested Waffle House because New Jersey, his home state, does not have one.

Ellis ultimately won out. And Battle has playfully given him grief since.

In a short period of time, they have developed one of the tighter bonds among those in Arkansas’ latest transfer class.

“Me and El have a special relationship because, of course, we’re going to be in the backcourt or whatever the case may be,” Battle said. “But my first day out here we spent the whole first day together. Then it’s just been picking up since then.”

Ellis said Battle is one of the reasons why he chose to play at Arkansas in 2023-24.

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“That’s my guy,” Ellis added. “Me and him are pretty close. We really hit it off fast.”

What makes their connection all the more intriguing is they did not know each other personally before becoming Razorbacks. They were, though, in a group text with other newcomers.

Ellis, the fifth of Arkansas’ transfer commitments this spring, said he learned of Battle through the agent he was with during the NBA Draft process this year. The agent knew Battle because he previously signed Battle’s older brother, Tyus, who played at Syracuse from 2016-19.

“When I decided I was going back to school, he told me Khalif was coming here,” Ellis said, “and it would be a good opportunity for me to play with somebody that was just as good as me. He could make me better. I could make him better.

“We’ve connected and got pretty close.”

While they have formed a friendship of their own, both players were adamant that chemistry is strong among all the team’s new faces as well as those returning. Battle noted there have been no dull moments between teammates.

“All the transfers, really everybody on the team, we all goof around, joke around,” Battle said. “I’ve been talking to them even before I committed here, honestly. That’s one of the reasons why I came here.

“I think me joking around with Coach [Eric Musselman], me joking around with those guys, you’ve always got to be focused on what we’re trying to do, of course, and win a national championship, but we also want to have brothers for life.”

Ellis and Battle both said Jeremiah Davenport (Cincinnati), Tramon Mark (Houston) and Keyon Menifield (Washington) have let their personalities shine, too, in recent days and been loose and talkative.

It all sounds like an early step in the right direction for the Razorbacks.

“That’s a good thing,” Battle said, “because this college thing doesn’t last but so long.”