The Sacramento Kings have spent the days leading up to the 2026 NBA Draft creating uncertainty around their plans with the seventh overall pick. But despite the mystery surrounding their decision, one name stands above all, and that’s Darius Acuff Jr.

The Athletic’s Sam Amick, in fact, put it out in the open at the Carmichael Dave Show with Jason Ross on Sactown Sports, that the 19 year old has garnered plenty of attention inside the organization. “As far as the pick itself, there continues to be the most noise around Acuff,” Amick said. This excitement though, is not without reason.

Amick goes on to reveal some respected talent evaluators around the league who believe that the Arkansas guard has the potential to become a special player.

“You had real good talent evaluators saying this guy’s special, that he could be Allen Iverson, could be Jalen Brunson,” Amick said. “The Acuff one is interesting because we talk so much about Fox, like you’re trying to replace De’Aaron Fox. Then we’re talking about Jalen Brunson, right?”

“I forget where I saw this, and apologies for not crediting it, “Amick recalled. “There was a scout, I think it might have been Jake Fischer’s report, an anonymous quote about Acuff that was like, ‘Well, unless he’s Jalen Brunson, then you can’t win a championship with him.’ He’s 6-foot-2.”

Names like Jalen Brunson, Allen Iverson, Stephen Curry, and others, once considered “too small,” have redefined basketball. And maybe, Darius Acuff Jr. could be the next one in line to revolutionize the NBA, who knows? Moreover, his March Madness heroics solidify such claims. He set an SEC record by scoring 88 points in his first three NCAA tournament games, which cemented his position as a top prospect in the 2026 NBA Draft.

“I went to go see Darius Acuff Jr. It was against Arizona, and a former GM was at the game. Actually, his opinion at the time was that he could see Darius Acuff Jr. being worthy of the number one pick,” Sam Amick further shared.

This level of praise is huge, and it explains why King’s interest in Acuff has continued to grow. And it is not a one-sided affair. NBA insider Kevin O’Connor confirmed the mutual attraction.

“This isn’t just a one-way street. The Kings also really like Acuff as well and view him as a potential future of the franchise,” O’Connor said. Plus, the Sacramento Kings have a need for him.

They haven’t been the same since De’Aaron Fox left them for the San Antonio Spurs in 2025. They lacked the power of a point guard, and it was pretty evident throughout last season. They finished 14th in the Western Conference with a 20-60 record. Therefore, Darius Acuff could be the game-changer, even leveling up Sacramento like Brunson has been doing with the New York Knicks.

Moreover, Darius Acuff Jr’s father shares a close connection with Sacramento Kings GM Scott Perry. The latter coached Acuff Sr. at Eastern Kentucky University. Therefore, the speculations around the 19-year-old landing in Sacramento make more sense.

Meanwhile, the Kings hold the 7th pick this time. The Brooklyn Nets hold the sixth pick, giving them a strong chance to select Darius Acuff Jr. before the Kings get the opportunity. However, if the Kings are hellbent on bringing the Razorbacks guard, then they might consider moving up to have him. At the same time, Darius Acuff is facing questions about his work ethic.

Darius Acuff Jr.’s work ethic takes the spotlight

Former NBA champion Jeff Teague shared some eye-opening chatter surrounding Darius Acuff Jr. on the Club 520 podcast. While scouts continue raving about his upside, Teague revealed that fresh concerns have started to cloud the picture. According to him, questions about Acuff’s approach to work and his fit inside a locker room have quietly cooled some of the excitement, causing his draft stock to slide at a crucial stage.

The ex-Bucks guard said, “I got some reports on Darius Acuff. People are questioning his work ethic. They’re questioning his inner circle a little bit. They still say he’s valuable, but people are just questioning some of those guys around him. Some of his teammates at IMG didn’t f*** with him.”

Well, Darius Acuff Jr.’s 2025-26 season definitely puts him among the top prospects for this year’s NBA Draft. He averaged 23.5 points, 3.1 rebounds, 6.4 assists, 0.8 steals, and 0.3 blocks per game on 48.4% shooting and 44.0% shooting from three. The 19-year-old holds the SEC Player of the Year award for his heroics for Arkansas.

However, following the rumors, every NBA franchise would surely double-check on him before recruiting him. Meanwhile, both the Sacramento Kings and the Brooklyn Nets might lock horns to acquire him. It’s only a matter of time before we get to know where Darius Acuff Jr. lands.