Darius Acuff Jr. Rising Fast on 2026 NBA Draft Boards

A gala performance confirming his superstar potential

Acuff’s latest statement performance is still fresh in everyone’s mind: 37 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals in Arkansas’ 82–79 win over Oklahoma in the SEC Tournament quarterfinals. The Arkansas native played all 40 minutes, shooting 52.4% from the field and 55.6% from beyond the arc in a complete takeover performance.

What stands out most to scouts is his poise in winning time. Acuff scored 12 of the Razorbacks’ final 21 points over the last eight minutes, including a tough, contested mid-range jumper with under 30 seconds left to seal the game.

Head coach John Calipari didn’t hold back afterward: “He has a winner’s mentality. He’s balanced like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was, and some other guys I’ve coached. I’m hard on him and he accepts it…”

Darius Acuff Jr. joins Anthony Davis and Brandon Miller as the only SEC players to win BOTH Freshman of the Year and SEC Player of the Year as voted on by SEC coaches 👏 pic.twitter.com/rWPJUU3h96

— ESPN Insights (@ESPNInsights) March 9, 2026

Statistics that speak for themselves

Acuff’s numbers this season are simply remarkable: 22.7 points, 3.2 rebounds and 6.4 assists per game, with shooting percentages of 48.7% from the field, 43.7% from 3-point range and 80.1% from the free-throw line. He becomes the first player since « Pistol » Pete Maravich to lead the SEC in both scoring and assists in the same season.

His accolades are piling up: SEC Rookie of the Year, SEC Player of the Year, and First-Team All-SEC member. He joins Brandon Miller and Anthony Davis as the only SEC players to win both Freshman of the Year and Player of the Year.

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Capable of scoring at all three levels, Acuff possesses the complete offensive arsenal sought after in the NBA. His only identified weakness remains defense, where he posts decent statistics without being exceptional (1.1 steals + blocks per game).

Crowned SEC Tournament champion with 30 points and 11 assists in the final, Darius Acuff Jr. establishes himself as one of the revelations of this 2026 class, forcing NBA franchises to reconsider their priorities for the upcoming Draft.