Darius Acuff joined the long line of freshman lead guards to immediately excel in college basketball under John Calipari, this time at Arkansas. He’s already one of the NCAA’s most productive players, thriving as a scorer and playmaker for his Razorbacks in a loaded SEC. In an NBA that continues moving away from shorter guards, how high will Acuff land in the eventual 2026 NBA Draft?
Darius Acuff — Point Guard, Arkansas (19.7 years old)
Darius Acuff Scouting Report & NBA Comparison
- Offensive role: Initiator Point Guard/Secondary Creator
- Defensive role: Point Guard Defender/Hidden
It took some time for Collin Sexton to adjust to NBA defenses, but the former Alabama star developed into a valuable offensive piece, contributing scoring and passing juice to compensate for his size and defensive limitations. Acuff has similar physical tools to Cole Anthony, who sports similar shotmaking chops and ball-handling acumen, even if the Arkansas guard is a more impactful college player than Anthony.
NBA Comparison: Collin Sexton, Cole Anthony
Strengths
- Exceptional touch on the move, adept at hitting all sorts of off-balance leaning touch shots and off-dribble jumpers in the intermediate
- Quick first step allows him to beat defenders off the dribble for initial advantages
- Veteran craft and footwork paired with a tight, creative handle allows him to carve double teams, fire skip passes and navigate the floor seamlessly
- Strong outside shooter off the catch and off of the dribble, can rip contested off-dribble threes against tight coverage, elite tough shotmaker
- Has the physical strength and low center of gravity to project on-ball defensive improvement as he gains experience
Weaknesses
- Poor defender with major physical, feel and effort-related limitations, too often looks apathetic and uninterested on defense, especially defending screens
- Struggles to generate turnovers and events defending away from the ball, limited instincts and awarenessÂ
- Rarely generates deep paint touches off the dribble, reliant on difficult off-dribble shotmaking for self-created offense
- Lack of height and inconsistent vision and decision making limit passing value on the move, especially passing to the interior
2026 NBA Draft Projection: Round 1, Pick 15-30
Teams with stricter size and height preferences for their guards may not value Acuff as highly as other teams, but his eventual future club will look past his limitations and invest in him for his offensive punch. While Acuff likely lacks the high-end athletic tools and paint pressuring ability to become a true offensive star, it’s easy to imagine a player this young and productive already finding a secure NBA home.
