Kings Draft Acuff Jr.
Sacramento Kings Draft Darius Acuff Jr. No. 7: Scouting His Skills and Fit
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The Sacramento Kings selected Darius Acuff Jr. with the No. 7 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft on June 24, making him one of the most talked-about prospects of the night. On3 reports that Acuff became the first SEC player to lead the conference in both points and assists per game since Pete Maravich — a stat that tells you everything about his offensive dominance at Arkansas.
At 6-foot-2 with a 6-foot-6.5-inch wingspan and 205 pounds of frame, Acuff is a compact but powerful guard. His pull-up shooting, isolation scoring, and shot creation ability drew comparisons to proven NBA playmakers. But his defensive effort at Arkansas raised real questions — ones Sacramento will have to answer fast.
Acuff's Historic Arkansas Season Made Him a Lottery Lock
Acuff averaged 18.8 points and 4.2 assists per game in his lone season at Arkansas, according to Sports Illustrated. He shot 37.4% from three on 6.5 attempts per game. ClickOnDetroit notes he had one of the most decorated freshman seasons in recent college basketball history. Coach John Calipari called him "a bucket-getter" with "that 'it' factor."
Calipari's track record with NBA guards — Derrick Rose, John Wall, De'Aaron Fox — helped boost Acuff's stock even after Arkansas had a rocky team season. THV11 reported that Acuff officially declared for the draft in April, holding his lottery projection despite defensive criticism from scouts across the league.
Kings See a Fearless Shot-Creator to Pair with De'Aaron Fox
Sacramento entered the draft needing a secondary playmaker to take pressure off De'Aaron Fox. Kings GM Monte McNair explained the pick plainly: "Darius is a unique separator. In today's NBA, you need guys who can create their own shot when the play breaks down." Acuff is expected to compete for immediate backup point guard minutes, Bleacher Report noted.
The Kings' front office framed the pick as acquiring a "fearless competitor." Acuff himself leaned into the moment at his post-draft press conference, saying, "My scoring is just the floor; I want my winning to be the ceiling." His four-year rookie contract is worth roughly $34 million, with his first season paying around $7.2 million.
Defense Is the Big Question Mark Scouts Can't Ignore
Acuff's defensive numbers at Arkansas were ugly. His defensive rating was 112.4 — ranking in the bottom 30% of SEC starting guards, according to NBA combine data. ESPN draft analyst Jonathan Givony was blunt: "There were too many possessions where he was upright or lost in rotation. In a Mike Brown system, he's going to have to find a defensive motor quickly."
NBC Sports notes that Kings head coach Mike Brown is known for his defensive demands. Analysts point out that Acuff's 6-foot-6.5-inch wingspan gives him the physical tools to guard at a high level — he just didn't use them consistently at Arkansas. The Kings are expected to assign a dedicated player-development coach to fix that before training camp opens.
Draft Analysts Split Sharply on His Long-Term Ceiling
The pro-Acuff camp is bullish. Analyst Kevin O'Connor noted that "Acuff's pull-up game is already at an NBA veteran level. He doesn't just get to his spots; he creates them." His isolation scoring rate sits at 1.05 points per possession — an elite number by any standard. Yahoo Sports placed him among the draft's top offensive talents.
Skeptics see a different picture. Advanced metrics from outlets like Cleaning The Glass show Acuff's Defensive Box Plus-Minus was negative last season, suggesting he could be a "net-neutral" player until his defensive effort catches up to his talent. The verdict: All-Star ceiling, bench scorer floor — with Sacramento's coaching staff holding the deciding vote.
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