Before the 2026 NBA Draft even tips off, one of its most debated prospects is already issuing a warning. Darius Acuff Jr., the 19-year-old Arkansas point guard, says any franchise that passes on him will be left with a five-year regret.
“Five years from now they will say I was the best player that was going to come out, for sure,” Acuff told Andscape’s Marc J. Spears. “Some people are going to be surprised. But some people in the back of their minds are probably [going to be] saying, ‘We probably should have been saying this.’… My mindset is that I’m gonna be the best player, for sure. That’s just the way I’m carrying it throughout my whole career.”
Why Scouts Are Split on Acuff
At 6-foot-2, Acuff doesn’t have the prototypical NBA guard frame. Some evaluators question whether his size and defensive struggles will keep him from being a winning player at the highest level. Others see a franchise-altering offensive talent — and the numbers back up the hype.
This season, Acuff posted one of the most efficient offensive campaigns by a freshman point guard in NCAA history. He averaged 23.5 points, 6.4 assists, and just 2.2 turnovers per game while shooting 48.4% from the field, 44% from three, and 80.9% from the free-throw line. His assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.97 ranks among the best for a first-year floor general in recent memory.
He elevated his game when it mattered most. In six postseason games, Acuff averaged 29.8 points and 6.5 assists, shooting 45.1% from the floor and 45% from deep. He led the Razorbacks to an SEC Championship and a Sweet 16 appearance, cementing his reputation as a big-stage performer.
Where Will Acuff End Up?
Most mock drafts place Acuff between picks No. 5 and No. 7. The top four — AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cam Boozer, and Caleb Wilson — appear locked in. Beyond that, the picture gets messy. The Los Angeles Clippers hold the No. 5 pick, the Brooklyn Nets sit at No. 6, and the Sacramento Kings are at No. 7. According to reports, the Kings have been linked to Acuff for weeks and are unlikely to let him slide past them.
ESPN, The Athletic, Bleacher Report, and ClutchPoints all project the Nets to take Acuff at No. 6 in their latest mock drafts. Acuff himself told ClutchPoints at the combine what he believes he’ll bring to whichever team drafts him.
“Definitely a superstar point guard,” Acuff said. “[I’ll] bring a lot of excitement to any city I go to… A lot of accolades, for sure. But just being on a winning team. It starts with the point guard.”
Whether teams buy the confidence or see the defensive red flags will decide how far he falls — or rises. But Acuff is betting on the long view.
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