Sacramento Kings select Darius Acuff Jr. with No. 7 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft

The Athletic has live coverage of the 2026 NBA Draft.

The Sacramento Kings selected Darius Acuff Jr. with the No. 7 pick Tuesday in the NBA Draft. Acuff averaged 23.5 points, 3.1 rebounds and 6.4 assists in his one season at Arkansas.

Despite measuring 6-foot-2 in bare feet at the combine, Acuff has a strong frame and looks like an NBA guard with his well-developed shoulders and lower body. Acuff weighed almost 186 pounds at the combine and should gain even more strength as he ages into his body. He also has good length, with a wingspan measuring 6 feet 6 1/2 inches. He’s also a terrific ballhandler and separator. Above all, he plays with great leverage and gets lower than his defenders to access his athleticism. He can also create his own shot in isolation, a critical skill for an NBA lead guard.

Acuff’s defense left a lot to be desired in his season with the Razorbacks. It wasn’t just one issue; it was everything. It starts at the point of attack, as he gets beaten off the bounce more often than you’d expect given his strength and quickness. He gets hoppy instead of staying down in a defensive stance, and he struggles to navigate ball screens. He seems to get clipped by every screen, takes bad angles and isn’t diligent in recovery. He also gives up on too many plays because he’s too far behind.

Sam Vecenie’s draft guide summary

Darius Acuff is the most polished point guard in the 2026 NBA Draft

Sam Vecenie

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The conversation with Acuff is a difficult one. Undeniably, he’ll be valuable as an NBA player because he’s an elite shot creator with physicality and the handle to separate from opponents. His shooting improved drastically this season, which allowed him to be efficient enough despite his propensity for shots from the midrange. I’m not sure I’ve ever evaluated a more polished offensive guard as a teenager. His balance, footwork, shooting ability and passing acumen were superb. It’s why he’s one of the most productive freshman guards we’ve ever seen.

Acuff’s defense was quite poor, however, and the impact metrics back up the idea that his presence was often extremely harmful on that end. The problem Acuff might run into is that this player archetype is not all that valued in the NBA right now. Trae Young, who was drastically better than Acuff as a freshman at Oklahoma and made an All-NBA team, got traded this season in what was essentially a salary-cap dump. More than ever, smaller, ball-dominant guards are not seen as useful unless they are at the apex of the league, like Jalen Brunson or Tyrese Maxey. In that vein, Acuff has a narrow pathway toward success at the highest levels of the NBA. If you think he’s that good and has a lot of NBA All-Star equity, then you should probably take him in the top six and find out.

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But that’s the battle Acuff will face as he enters the draft as a smaller guard. He’ll need to find a team willing to work around the defensive concerns and make it work. But, man, for the right team, there is a chance he can develop into the kind of guard who gives you All-NBA-level production in the ballpark of 25-plus points and 7-plus assists per game.

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Overall 5 Guard 2

Darius Acuff Jr. Arkansas

The most polished teenage guard to enter the league in years; defense is the big question.

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John Hollinger’s analysis

Offensively, Acuff showed more than the other point guards in his lone college season, burning defenses with deep shooting range and a strong pull-up game while also proving himself a deft passer. (He led the SEC in points and assists.) In addition to his half-court pick-and-roll game, he’s great at throwing alley-oops in transition.

However, questions remain as to how that scales to the NBA. Acuff needs to be a high-usage, high-volume offensive engine because his defense is awful. Both his steal and rebound rates are in red-flag territory for a guard prospect, although he did at least block shots with some frequency. He’s not as small as, say, Trae Young, but the defensive projection might not be a whole lot better. Additionally, I’ll note that steals are usually a “feel” indicator for offensive development; even Young had a much higher steal rate as a collegian than Acuff.

Offensively, Acuff was a magician in Arkansas’ SEC tournament run, but the full-season tape had a few warts if you look close enough — he’s very right-handed in the open court and got his dribble picked in transition more than you’d expect.

David Aldridge’s draft confidential

Eastern Conference executive No. 1: Everyone knew coming in that Acuff could score. Elite, elite scorer from multiple levels. He did not play to his age as a scorer. Where he evolved this year and put himself in a tier with the top prospects was his playmaking. He made huge, huge strides. Throwing lobs, running pick-and-rolls, trying to find a balance between scoring and playmaking.

For a guy who came in as a thirsty guard to now be a legit point guard who can also be an explosive scorer, that is something you look for with a player of his size. The defensive side of the floor is a concern. I worry that he’s going to be a player that teams target. But what gives me hope is that he is built like a tank. … You put the right guys around him, he’s going to be a Tyrese Maxey-level player.

College assistant coach No. 2 (his team played Arkansas): Acuff, to me, to be successful, you have to view him, stylistically, and how he’s going to score, like Kyrie Irving. They both play on the ground. They’re both below-the-rim guys. Kyrie’s more gifted than Acuff. But they’re both that 6-2, strong body, quick-handed with the dribble, score with angles. Awkward angles. Bigs go up to get their shot, they use the inside hand. They just have a knack.

Plus, Acuff can really see the floor. Not that he’s Kyrie. But don’t expect a guy that’s going to play like (Russell) Westbrook. He’s not explosive at the rim. He’s a bucket-getter, via angles, can shoot high off the glass. Go under you, go to the other side and use the rim as protection. And a much better shooter and passer than he gets credit for.

Now, defensively? Pretty horses—. But if a guy is competitive in the context of the game, and Acuff is highly competitive offensively, you sit him down and say, “Now you have to guard.”

This story will be updated.

Sacramento Kings select Darius Acuff Jr. with No. 7 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft

Sam Vecenie’s draft guide summary

John Hollinger’s analysis

David Aldridge’s draft confidential

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