Arkansas freshman Darius Acuff Jr. is garnering attention from NBA teams. His performance in the Southeastern Conference and NCAA tournaments has scouts taking notice.
Calipari’s Confidence in Acuff
University of Arkansas head coach John Calipari believes Acuff will be among the esteemed list of guards he has groomed for the pros, including Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Derrick Rose, and John Wall. Calipari told NBA teams that they would regret passing on Acuff.
Acuff’s Rising Draft Stock
Acuff was projected to be the seventh overall pick in the 2026 NBA draft by ESPN’s Jeremy Woo on March 11. The 6-foot-3 guard has risen as a draft candidate with stellar play. Acuff became the SEC tournament MVP and one of the NCAA’s most prolific scorers as a freshman, averaging 23.3 points, 6.5 assists and 3.1 rebounds per game while shooting 44.6% from 3-point range.
In five postseason contests, Acuff has averaged 30.2 points per game, including a 36-point performance in the second round of the NCAA tournament against High Point on March 21. One NBA general manager views Acuff as the top guard and third-best overall prospect in the draft, behind freshman forwards A.J. Dybantsa of BYU and Caleb Wilson of North Carolina.
Acuff’s Focus Remains on the Season
Despite being named an Associated Press first-team All-American, Acuff acknowledged he felt overlooked this season. Acuff said that he wasn’t worried about it. He added that when you win, everything will come within itself and that is his main focus.
Acuff said it’s great to see the NBA talk and something you’ve always dreamed of. He added that the season is not over yet and he wants to keep winning and everything will cover itself. Acuff stated that the attention is cool, but the season is still going on and he’s trying to win and keep it rolling.
The No. 4 seed Razorbacks (25-8) face No. 1 seed Arizona (34-2) in the Sweet 16. According to DraftKings Sportsbook, the Wildcats have won 10 games in a row after suffering their only two losses this season against Kansas and Texas Tech on Feb. 9 and 14, respectfully.