As the seventh overall pick in the 2026 NBA draft, guard Darius Acuff Jr. joins the Sacramento Kings after a stellar freshman campaign at Arkansas.
Acuff was a consensus first-team All-American last season, averaging 23.5 points, 6.4 assists and 3.1 rebounds while shooting 44% from 3-point range. He ranked third in the country in points (845) and seventh in assists (232), both of which were single-season program records.
The SEC Player of the Year joined Pete Maravich as the only players in history to lead the conference in points and assists in the same season. He was the only Division I player last season to average at least 20 points and six assists per game.
Acuff joined Meleek Thomas (No. 34 pick) and Trevon Brazile (No. 35 pick) as Razorbacks
selected, marking the third time since the draft moved to a two-round format in 1989 that Arkansas has produced three selections in the same draft.
The 19-year-old debuted with the Kings in summer league, averaging 20.8 points, 4.6 assists, 1.6 rebounds, one steal and one block while shooting 35% from the field in five games. He scored 20 or more points three times, including a 26-point performance on July 14.
Acuff had the opportunity to get acquainted with several teammates earlier this summer, including Dylan Cardwell, Nique Clifford and Alex Karaban. He is expected to play a significant role for the team and enters with the fifth-best odds for Rookie of the Year.
Throughout September, Rookie Wire is compiling some of the most interesting facts about each first-round pick in an effort to further introduce the incoming draft class ahead of the 2026-27 season
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No. 5
Acuff has worn No. 5 throughout his basketball career as a nod to his father, Darius Acuff Sr., who wore it at Eastern Kentucky during the 1998-99 season. As it turned out, Kings general manager Scott Perry coached his father at Eastern Kentucky and is also from Detroit, as are the Acuffs. He began training with his father at a young age, and he has vowed to continue to honor him each time he takes the court.
"I always wore it my whole life," Acuff said, via the NBA on X. "Pops wore it, so ever since I was little, I've been wearing it because of him. That's my dad. He has been there my whole life. Every step of the way, he taught me everything I know about the game, so why not try to pay tribute to him?"
Arkansas
Acuff had a historic year, setting plenty of records with the Razorbacks, including 11 for a freshman. In addition to setting the single-season program record for points and assists, Acuff also set the SEC record with eight weekly honors and finished as one of three players to earn SEC Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year in the same season.
Derrick Rose
Acuff watched several players coming up through high school and college, including Allen Iverson and Derrick Rose, who he said was probably his favorite on the court. Razorbacks coach John Calipari even set up a call between Acuff and Rose after he was drafted by the Kings.
"Growing up, my favorite player was Derrick Rose, probably," Acuff said, via the Kings on Instagram. "Just Chicago, watching them on TV all of the time. It was great to watch him play."
Sacramento
Acuff was heavily linked to the Kings throughout the predraft process, in part, because of their need for a point guard and his connection with Perry. He also felt a genuine connection with the coaching staff and the rest of the team, and wanted to be a part of the organization.
"You feel that connection," Acuff said during an introductory press conference on June 29, via ABC10. "I had a previous relationship with (Perry), of course, but just the coaching staff. Coach Doug (Christie), I see a lot of myself in him, so just seeing how real they are, I wanted to be here. I know what they got building, so I wanted to be a part of it."
USA Basketball
Acuff represented USA Basketball in the 2024 FIBA U18 Americas Championship, averaging a team-high 17.5 points, 4.7 rebounds and four assists. Playing alongside the likes of Nate Ament, Mikel Brown Jr., Jeremiah Fears and Morez Johnson Jr., Acuff was MVP of the tournament after leading the group to the gold medal. He also attended the men's junior national team minicamp in October 2023.
This article originally appeared on Rookie Wire: 5 fun facts: Get to know Kings rookie Darius Acuff Jr. before 2026-27 season
