2026 NBA Draft: Darius Acuff Jr. Scouting Report
Evaluating the Arkansas guard ahead of the 2026 NBA Draft.
DRAFT EVALUATION: Top 15-20 pick
LAST BIG BOARD: N/R
NBA ROLE: High usage, one-way combo guard
REMINDS ME OF: Keyonte George, combo Isaiah Collier, Ajay Mitchell
RAW STATS: 22.2 PTS, 3.0 REB (0.5o), 6.4 AST to 2.0 TOV, 0.8 STL, 0.4 BLK, 1.6 PF in 34.7 MINS over 30 games
ADVANCED STATS: 9.2 BPM, 28.0 USG%, 60.7 TS%, 1.6 OREB%, 8.2 DREB%, 3.2 A/TO, 32.2 AST%, 11.3 TOV%, 1.2 STL%, 1.1 BLK%, 33.8 FTr
Height: 6-foot-2
Wingspan: 6-foot-6
Weight: 190 pounds
Draft day age: 19.7 y/o
Birthday: November 16, 2006
Evaluation:
Darius Acuff Jr. has a high offensive floor with the ultimate potential to serve as his team’s primary offensive engine. That’s why he is around the top 15-20 range of my board, with the chance to climb into the back end of the lottery depending on how draft declarations shape up.
Acuff can score at all three levels to an extent, handle a heavy playmaking load without turning the ball over much, and he has proven that he can play both on- and off-ball this year.
The Arkansas freshman thrives on getting downhill and is always putting pressure on defenses. He’s comfortable getting to his spots in the midrange and getting to his pull-up on balance. Plus, Acuff’s three-pointer - especially his catch-and-shoot - has been a pleasant surprise, which makes me think he can be more of a combo guard and less of a ball-dominant guard in the NBA.
Still, I have questions about Acuff’s scoring profile and overall long-term fit in the league. I had similar doubts about Jeremiah Fears last season.
As a small guard who will effectively be a non-defender bar outlier development, Acuff might need a near-perfect context to maximize his value if you select him as a top 10 pick or higher. He needs to become one of the best guards in the league, and I’m not sure I can get there with him yet.
That starts with improving his efficiency finishing at the rim, although Acuff will always be capped to an extent by being a below-the-rim athlete.
Acuff’s current shot diet can also prioritize midrange shots, which I’d prefer to see move back into pull-up threes. Plus, his catch-and-shoot comfortability looks real but the efficiency is unsustainably high right now.
Overall, Acuff is a really good college player who will likely have a long NBA career while putting up solid numbers. At the same time, I can’t shake how he feels somewhat like an anachronism in a league that keeps getting bigger, longer and less forgiving of non-defenders.
Going forward, I think Acuff’s best path will be scaling down from more of a ball-dominant guard into a combo who can play next to other initiators.
He could also end up being a sparkplug or reliable rotation piece, which I’m more than fine with in the top 20 but not that thrilled about in the top 10 with this draft.
Background:
Father is Darius Acuff Sr, who played college basketball at Eastern Kentucky, and was listed at 6-foot-2. Mother is Dureese Owens. Sister is Daona Todd.
Uncle and manager is Rashad Phillips, who played college basketball at Detroit Percy and had a long career overseas. Was listed at 5-9.
Older cousin is Tyson Acuff, who played college basketball for Duquesne, Eastern Michigan, and Rutgers. Now plays in Estonia for BC Kalev.
Started high school career at Cass Technical HS in Detroit. 2022 Associated Press All-State Honorable Mention honors as a freshman.
As a sophomore at Cass Tech, averaged 21.4 PTS and 5.7 AST per game.
Transferred to IMG Academy (Florida) as a high school junior. Averaged 21.3 PTS and 5.3 PTS/3.3 TOV on 42.4 FG% and 36.3 3P% in EYBL Scholastic play.
As a senior, ticked up to 23.7 PTS and 5 AST/2.6 TOV. Came on 42.2 FG% and 24.7 3P%.
Played AAU ball in the Nike EYBL circuit for The Family.
Pros:
Loves to get downhill and attack the basket. Constant pressure on the defense…
60.5 FG% (98/162) at the rim. Really impressive volume for a guard.
Does a good job using his low center of gravity to get past defenders, even if he isn’t exactly a blow-by threat from a standstill.
Tight handle won’t get stripped. Very safe with the ball in his hands, for the most part.
Catches defenders off-guard with his takeoff points. Drives are hard to read.
Not twitchy or bouncy, but definitely shows body control near the basket.
“Problem” is that he uses it more often to avoid contact than I’d like. But can be dangerous when paired with his handle.
45.6 FG% (26/57) on runners is encouraging, as well. I don’t love these shots, but he can flip in unorthodox short-midrange runners. Shows touch off the glass.
Potential to be a three-level scoring guard…
39.3 2P% (33/84) on off-the-dribble twos. Likes to get to the elbow.
Comfortable creating his shot from a behind-the-back. Pretty good balance on his jumper. Setups aren’t super dynamic, but they’re effective.
From deep, 43.7 3P% (73/167) for the season. Very pleasant surprise. Not sure anyone expected that.
35.8 3P% (24/67) off the dribble is definitely encouraging. Not elite or on the highest volume, though.
But has shown some very appealing pull-up threes out of ballscreens. Is he going to be good enough to force defenders to go over screens?
Good enough, but not outstanding perimeter volume. Takes 5.6 threes per game. 8.8 threes per 100 possessions.
Top two passer in this draft class, alongside Kingston Flemings…
Great in the pick-and-roll. Makes fairly advanced passes.
Can read two men on the ball, make live dribble passes, drive and kick passes, lob passes, drop-off passes, etc.
Creates shots from three and at the rim, which is what I want to see from a floor general.
Quick and accurate reads in transition.
Numbers back up his tape. 3.2 A/TO on 32.2 AST% and 11.3 TOV% is elite.
Comes on 28.0 USG%, so he can clearly handle a high volume of possessions. The question is more so whether you want that for your team.
Powering Arkansas’ offense on high usage, but has shown that he can play off-ball too…
49.5 3P% (49/99) on catch-and-shoots is elite right now, though doesn’t feel sustainable. I don’t have many worries about him taking spot-up threes, though.
61.8 3P% (21/34) unguarded means he’ll basically score if you leave him open from deep.
Can also make quick decisions out of hand-offs. Able to drive or pull up.
Would be interesting to see him run quicker two-man games, rather than slower pick-and-rolls.
Feel will enable him to share playmaking duties alongside other facilitators at the next level if he buys into that role.
Cons:
How functional will his athletic tools be as a driver at the next level?
Below the rim finisher. 5/7 dunks for the season. Arkansas lists him at 6-3, but I think probably an inch or two shorter.
High volume of paint touches, but his efficiency at the rim needs to tick up (60.5 FG% on 98/162 attempts, per Synergy).
That can be offset by his short-midrange touch. 45.6 FG% (26/57) on runners so far.
Largely reliant on power in a straight line while not having much wiggle. Especially applies to his lack of change of direction, but can sometimes also play rushed or at one speed. Needs to be craftier.
Should probably get fouled more (33.8 FTr, 5.3 FTA per game) so that he can get easy points at the free throw line.
This can be improved over time, of course, but I wish this ability was more advanced already given his stocky frame and playstyle.
Doesn’t defend anyone on- or off-ball…
Navigating screens is really tough for him. Picks remove him from the play nearly every time, regardless of whether he’s guarding the ballhandler or chasing.
On-ball technique is poor. Offers no resistance.
Won’t really make multiple efforts. Standout sequences are few and far between.
Off-ball activity is virtually nonexistent. Can’t even impact passing lanes or attackers’ angles due to his lack of size.
Ballwatches or falls asleep when playing off-ball.
Athletic tools don’t give him margin for recovery. Not long or explosive. Doesn’t leverage his strength and bulky frame much on either end of the floor.
1.1 BLK% and 1.2 STL% are evidently poor, but I’m not focused on that as much as I am on his process (or lack thereof, usually).
NBA ceiling seems dependent on his absolute highest offensive outcome and having an incredibly complementary roster, as well. Can happen, but not easy to bet on…
Bar for this is very high in the NBA - especially a small guard. For instance, Jeremiah Fears finished at No. 20 on my 2025 big board.
35.8 3P% (24/67) off the dribble is pretty good, but not absolutely amazing. Volume would ideally tick up. Range is not that deep.
Not sure he creates that much space off the dribble. Can he get his shot off, more often, against bigger+longer+better defenders?
About 31% of his shots are midrange twos, per Hoop Explorer. I think that will need to go down in the NBA. Can he make this adjustment?
79.4 FT% (127/160), which I wish was a tiny bit higher - but even just one more make would push him to 80%, so I’m not super concerned.
Almost needs to become unstoppable as a scorer, so that requires a jump at the rim, more shots from three, probably less from the midrange, and increased craft in the paint to also get to the free throw line.
He can evidently improve in all of these areas, but this is a lot to accomplish while being capped athletically and almost certainly always providing negative defensive value.