The NBA has a superstar on their hands who will probably not be a lottery pick. That’s just the nature of this year’s draft class. Darius Acuff Jr. could have been a top pick in multiple of the past drafts but in this one, it is still up in the air. His coach, John Calipari, is campaigning for him to go No. 1. “He’s like all the best players that I’ve coached,” said Calipari. “He’s like that.” But what is the reality? Let’s dive inside his draft future after the first weekend of the NCAA tournament. 

Where Does Darius Acuff Jr. Land in the Latest 2026 NBA Mock Draft?

At one point, Darius Acuff Jr. was considered a long-term project and would continue at Arkansas next season. However, that perception has quickly changed. After a string of impressive performances, he broke into the top 10 in multiple mock drafts. Before the SEC Tournament, most mock drafts projected Acuff between No. 7 and No. 10 overall. ESPN had him at No. 7 to the Dallas Mavericks, while CBS Sports and Bleacher Report projected him at No. 8 to the Memphis Grizzlies. 

Cut to today: ahead of the Sweet 16 he has massively improved his draft stock. 

Many experts today even think he should go No. 1. “You’re looking at the stats in how he’s delivered right now,” ESPN analyst Sean Farnham said. “To me, we’ve spent this whole season talking about AJ Dybantsa and Darryn Peterson. That conversation is wrong, America. The conversation is that AJ Dybantsa and Darius Acuff Jr.”

While his qualities might be worth No. 1, in this draft he still needs to do more in order to do so. Bleacher Report’s latest mock draft puts him at No. 5 behind the Big 3 of Darryn Peterson, AJ Dybantsa and Cameron Boozer, with UNC’s Caleb Wilson at No. 4. Tankathon still has him at No. 8. ESPN improved him to No. 7.  

How Did Darius Acuff Jr.’s March Madness Performance Impact His Draft Stock?

Darius Acuff Jr. has been on fire in the postseason. His 30 points 11-assist explosion in the SEC Tournament Finals was probably a warning shot for all the NCAA Tournament teams and his draft competitors.  Come the NCAA Tournament, he has proved everyone right. He dropped 24 points and 7 assists in the opener against Hawaii and followed it up with 36 points and 6 assists against High Point.

ESPN’s mock draft explicitly mentions these clutch performances in the postseason are a reason for his rise. “Acuff has averaged 30.2 points and 7.2 assists in five postseason games, adding a Sweet 16 berth and SEC tournament title to his impressive accomplishments this season,” Jeremy Woo wrote. “As he continues to set the bar higher for himself, he’s in a position to potentially hear his name called in the top five on draft night—and will move up on my board in the next top 100 update.” Bleacher Report does the same. 

“Darius Acuff Jr. totaled 50 points through two NCAA tournament games to continue his incredible late-season run,” writes Jonathan Wasserman. “He’s jumping ahead and separating himself from the other point guard prospects in the minds of scouts.” He can further cement his place as a lottery pick if he continues this form and takes Arkansas deeper in the NCAA Tournament. 

What Are Darius Acuff Jr.’s Strengths and Scouting Report Ahead of the NBA Draft?

He is an automatic scoring machine. With a consistent three-pointer, he has incredible ball handling coupled with game sense. He averages 44.6% from the three-point line while shooting 5.8 per game. Acuff can get to the rim with ease (35% of points in the paint) but can pull up from midrange as well (midrange FG%: 36.4%). He can speed up the game with transition buckets (5.3 fast break points/40 in 98th percentile) and long passes but can slow it down too. Offensively, it feels like he is the ideal point guard for your team. If your team needs an orchestrator that can score, don’t look farther than Darius Acuff Jr.

Now, let’s get into the sticky part. His defense. To say it’s not the best would be underselling how bad it is. For someone that looks fluid and athletic on the attack, he looks clueless while defending it. His defensive box plus/minus at 0.2 ranks among the worst in the country. For comparison, AJ Dybantsa’s DBPM is 1.2 and Darryn Peterson is at 4.0. For a more comprehensive look of his defense, have a look at his advanced stats (via CBB Analytics)

He struggles getting around screens, occasionally even giving up on plays. He switches assignments seemingly randomly, confusing his teammates and breaking down his team’s defensive schemes. In addition, at 6’3 he is in that gray area before being termed acceptable. A decade before, he would have been a Top 3 lock. But the NBA has evolved today, so which teams can give him a system that suits him?

Which NBA Teams Could Draft Darius Acuff Jr. in 2026?

It’s that team fit that is keeping Darius Acuff Jr out of the lottery position in multiple mock drafts. The Indiana Pacers don’t need a traditional point guard with Tyrese Haliburton coming back. The same goes for the Wizards, who have bet heavily on Trae Young.  So with whom might he actually flower? 

Dallas Mavericks:

Cooper Flagg needs an orchestrator. If the Mavericks ever want to compete, they can’t be using him as a point-wing hybrid for much longer. He will get a guard partner and the two can be the long-term future for Dallas. Darius Acuff Jr. could also benefit from Kyrie Irving’s presence in the squad, whom many believe is his NBA comparison. Others believe it’s closer to Jalen Brunson than Irving. 

Milwaukee Bucks:

Milwaukee is throwing everything they can at preventing Giannis from moving away. So far they have succeeded in keeping him. He can largely replace what the Bucks lost in Damian Lillard, being able to spot up and attack closeouts. Acuff can be a pick-and-roll partner for Giannis, and at 25.8 assists per game, they rank 17th in the country. Acuff’s offense. But after the Cam Thomas debacle, will they go for another subpar defender? It will depend on the front office.