Acuff notched 33 points (10-26 FG, 2-11 3Pt, 11-12 FT), two rebounds and four assists across 37 minutes during Friday's 128-120 loss to the Trail Blazers.
Acuff bounced back in a big way, pouring in a game-high 33 points after an abysmal shooting performance in his NBA debut. Despite the colossal total, his shot beyond the arc still hasn't clicked, so he leaned on shot volume and a good showing at the charity stripe to reach it. He's playing heavy minutes as a starter for the 0-2 Kings, and nights like this should keep him firmly in the lineup.
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Kings' Darius Acuff: Struggles with shot to start NBA career
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Acuff totaled 12 points (5-24 FG, 0-7 3Pt, 2-5 FT), three rebounds, three assists and three steals across 35 minutes during Wednesday's 121-96 loss to the Clippers.
The seventh overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft displayed some shooting jitters in his debut, but Acuff was still able to contribute on the defensive end of the court. The Kings figure to give Acuff all the minutes he can handle this season, especially with Ben Simmons (Achilles) no longer in the picture, and the Arkansas product could produce strong averages as a result, albeit with shaky percentages.
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Kings' Darius Acuff: Available to play
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Acuff (rest) is available for Friday's preseason finale in San Antonio, James Ham of ESPN 1320 Sacramento reports.
Acuff skipped Tuesday's preseason loss to the Trail Blazers for rest purposes, but he'll be back in action for Friday's final exhibition game. Acuff's return will likely shift Elfrid Payton back to the second unit.
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Kings' Darius Acuff: Scores 25, adds eight dimes
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Acuff posted 25 points (8-15 FG, 4-6 3Pt, 5-5 FT), four rebounds and eight assists across 27 minutes in Saturday's 111-106 preseason loss to the Warriors.
Acuff scored a game-high 25 points and traded blows with fellow rookie Yaxel Lendeborg, who scored 23 for the Warriors. This was a step in the right direction for Acuff, who posted 12 points on 4-for-15 shooting in Thursday's loss to the Lakers. He should continue to see ample playing time in the preseason ahead of the regular-season opener against the Clippers on Wednesday, Oct. 21.
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Kings' Darius Acuff: Struggles with shot in loss
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Acuff posted 12 points (4-15 FG, 2-7 3Pt, 2-2 FT), one assist, two steals and one block across 23 minutes during Thursday's 114-110 preseason loss to the Lakers.
Sacramento's top 2026 draft pick opened 1-of-10 from the field before hitting three straight shots late in the first half, but he struggled for most of the night. There's little doubt Acuff will man the point guard role in the first unit once the season begins, but some rough shooting nights as he adjusts to NBA play are to be expected.
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Kings' Darius Acuff: Scores 19 points with full line
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Acuff put up 19 points (8-17 FG, 1-4 3Pt, 2-2 FT), two rebounds, four assists, one steal and one block across 27 minutes in Monday's 127-103 preseason loss to the Lakers.
Acuff had the hot hand early for Sacramento, scoring 17 of his 19 points in the first half. However, the Lakers did a better job defending him after halftime and held the rookie to just two points (0-of-4 FG, 2-of-2 FT). Still, Acuff flashed his upside in his preseason debut, which was nice to see after an up-and-down showing at Summer League.
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Kings' Darius Acuff: Projected to start
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Acuff is projected to open the season as Sacramento's starting point guard, according to Brenden Nunes of KHTK Sactown Sports 1140.
Nunes views Acuff, Zach LaVine, Keegan Murray, De'Andre Hunter and Domantas Sabonis as the Kings' most likely starting five. If Acuff does secure the starting job, the rookie should have an opportunity to handle significant minutes and playmaking responsibilities from the outset. Efficiency could be an issue early on given the learning curve at the position.
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Kings' Darius Acuff: Sitting out again Friday
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Acuff will be rested for Friday's Summer League game against the Hornets, Brenden Nunes of KHTK Sactown Sports 1140 reports.
Acuff will be rested for a second straight exhibition. The rookie made five appearances during Summer League play, posting averages of 19.2 points, 4.6 assists and 1.6 rebounds.
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Kings' Darius Acuff: Notches 19 points in win
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Acuff recorded 19 points (6-20 FG, 3-9 3Pt, 2-4 FT), three rebounds, seven assists, two steals and one block in 28 minutes during Thursday's 91-85 Summer League win over the Clippers.
The No. 7 overall pick showed flashes of the dynamic shot creation and playmaking that made him a lottery selection, overcoming an inefficient shooting night by setting up teammates and making an impact on both ends of the floor. With the Kings in the early stages of a rebuild, he's in a great spot for fantasy appeal right away.
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Kings' Darius Acuff: Scores 22 in SL win
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Acuff posted 22 points (7-19 FG, 4-9 3Pt, 2-2 FT), three rebounds, three assists, two blocks and a steal in 28 minutes during Monday's 95-89 California Classic Summer League win over the Bucks.
Acuff put together another high-volume scoring display, logging his second 20-plus-point performance in as many California Classic appearances. Over those two games, he averaged 23.5 points, 3.0 assists, 2.5 rebounds, 1.0 steals and 1.0 blocks in 29.0 minutes per contest. One area of intrigue from Monday's game was his performance on the defensive end, as he contributed two blocks and a steal.
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Kings' Darius Acuff: Will play Monday
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Acuff (undisclosed) is available for Monday's California Classic Summer League game versus the Bucks, Sean Cunningham of Fox 40 Sacramento reports.
Acuff returns after a one-game absence and should resume his role as a starter. With Acuff back in the mix, Isaiah Stevens will likely head back to the second unit and Marquel Sutton is likely to see a minutes reduction.
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Kings' Darius Acuff: Scores game-high 25 points in win
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Acuff finished with 25 points (9-29 FG, 1-9 3Pt, 5-7 FT), two rebounds, three assists and one steal across 30 minutes in Saturday's 79-76 California Classic Summer League win over Brooklyn.
Acuff shot an inefficient 9-for-29 from the field and 1-for-9 from three-point range in his first Summer League appearance. However, he still looked good for the most part, scoring a game-high 25 points. The 2026 No. 7 overall pick is coming off a quality season at Arkansas in 2025-26, averaging 23.5 points, 6.4 assists, 3.1 rebounds, 0.3 blocks and 0.8 steals over 35.1 minutes in 36 games. Acuff also shot 44.0 percent from deep, so there's reason to believe he will return to form once he gets acclimated to life at the professional level.
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Kings' Darius Acuff: Selected by Sacramento
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Acuff was selected by the Kings with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
Acuff is the latest in a long line of outstanding guards to play under legendary college coach John Calipari. In 36 games for Arkansas in 2025-26, the 19-year-old averaged 23.5 points, 6.4 assists, 3.1 rebounds and 0.8 steals while shooting 48.4 percent from the field and 44.0 percent from beyond the arc in 35.1 minutes per contest, earning SEC Player of the Year, First Team All-American and Bob Cousy Award honors. He's undersized at 6-foot-2 and 186 pounds, but there's no denying his microwave scoring ability, as he topped 30 points six times this past season, highlighted by a magnificent 49-point performance on the road at Alabama in February. With Russell Westbrook (toe) slated to hit free agency, Acuff is well-positioned to step into a significant role with the Kings right away.
