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One name dominated discussions more than any other in Sacramento as anticipation grew in the weeks leading up to the NBA draft.
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Darius Acuff Jr.
The Kings identified Acuff early in the pre-draft process as an immensely talented scorer and playmaker who could end the search for their point guard of the future. The only question was whether the Arkansas star would still be on the board when it came time for the Kings to make their selection.
In the end, the Kings got their man, selecting Acuff with the No. 7 pick in the draft. A crowd of about 3,000 fans who gathered at Golden 1 Center for the team’s watch party erupted when NBA commissioner Adam Silver announced the pick.
“It was great to see Kings fans celebrate like that,” Acuff said. “They’re showing love already. I’m going to definitely show love right back. I’m excited to be there. I love Sacramento. I know it’s a great city.”
The top of the draft unfolded as expected. The Washington Wizards selected AJ Dybantsa with the No. 1 pick, the Utah Jazz took Darryn Peterson at No. 2, the Memphis Grizzlies chose Cameron Boozer at No. 3 and the Chicago Bulls took Caleb Wilson at No. 4.
That set the stage for the Los Angeles Clippers, Brooklyn Nets and Kings to choose from a gifted group of guards that featured Acuff, Keaton Wagler, Mikel Brown Jr., Kingston Flemings and Brayden Burries. Projections varied in the weeks leading up to the draft with no real consensus among draft analysts, but in the last 24 hours there were strong indications the Clippers would choose Wagler and the Nets would take Brown.
When they did, thousands of Kings fans who attended the watch party at the team’s downtown arena cheered with excitement, knowing Acuff was coming to Sacramento.
Acuff, 19, is 6-foot-2 and 186 pounds with a 6-7 wingspan. There are concerns about his defense, but there is no question about his elite offensive abilities.
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Acuff averaged 23.5 points, 3.1 rebounds and 6.4 assists as a freshman at Arkansas to help coach John Calipari’s Razorbacks reach the Sweet 16. He shot 48.4% from the field, 44.3% from 3-point range and 80.9% at the free-throw line. Acuff had his biggest game of the year in a double-overtime loss to Alabama, scoring 49 points on 16-of-27 shooting while going 6 of 10 from 3-point range.
Acuff was named Southeastern Conference Player of the Year, SEC Rookie of the Year and SEC tournament MVP after leading Arkansas to its first tournament title since 2000. He won the Bob Cousy Award, which is presented each year to the nation’s top point guard, and joined Pete Maravich as the only players in SEC history to lead the conference in scoring and assists in the same season.
Acuff has drawn rave reviews from Calapari, who has coached 42 NBA lottery picks and 13 All-Stars with 43 All-Star appearances, including two MVPS, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Derrick Rose. On a recent episode of “The Herd with Colin Cowherd,” Calipari explained what makes Acuff such a special player.
“This kid here, he was a great teammate, never wanted to take a day off, lived in the gym,” Calipari said. “He didn’t go home for Christmas because he wanted to work out. He had a hurt toe for about 12 games – college players are using a new term now, ‘I’m shutting it down’ – this kid said I’m not taking a game off. He was in a boot for three days and then would go play. … There’s going to be two, three, four teams, maybe five, that will regret not taking him.”
The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie called Acuff “the most polished teenage guard to enter the league in years” while noting “defense is the big question.”
ESPN college basketball analyst Jay Bilas called Acuff “the best guard in this draft” after Peterson, adding he “could wind up as the best offensive player in the draft” and “he is special.”
“Acuff is compact, athletic, fast and explosive, and can score at all three levels,” Bilas wrote. “He is a shot creator and creative finisher, and a tremendous competitor. He did not defend at a high level, but part of that was his value on the court — Arkansas could not afford to have him out with fouls. Down the stretch of the season, Acuff was nearly unstoppable.”
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This story was originally published June 23, 2026 at 6:21 PM.