Overview
- The Kings took Arkansas guard Darius Acuff Jr. with the seventh overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, a selection that filled a major scoring need for a team that finished last season near the bottom in offense.
- Acuff arrives after one season at Arkansas in which he averaged 23.5 points and 6.4 assists and set single-season school records for points (845) and assists (232), earning SEC Player of the Year honors.
- Scouts and writers flagged on-ball defense and a smaller frame as Acuff’s chief translation risks, with reports noting effort and focus on defense as pre-draft concerns.
- Arkansas coach John Calipari publicly downplayed those defensive worries on June 25, comparing Acuff’s role to how teams used Jalen Brunson and arguing that scheme and frontcourt help can limit individual defensive exposure.
- Kings GM Scott Perry’s personal connection to Acuff’s family and Acuff’s draft-night promise to be a competitive, hard-playing presence have boosted local optimism, but the team says building defensive structure will be central to his development.