Darius Acuff Dominates College Basketball
Arkansas point guard Darius Acuff is being called "the best PG in the country" by analyst Jon Rothstein after a 28-point, 13-assist explosion against Texas. Coach Sean Miller claims he's "never seen a point guard like Acuff in his 20+ years in college basketball," with Acuff now sitting atop Rothstein's All-American list.
Darius Acuff's journey to the top of college basketball began long before he arrived at Arkansas. The Detroit native was a consensus five-star recruit and named Michigan's High School Player of the Year as a sophomore after leading Cass Technical High School to a state championship. He then transferred to the powerhouse IMG Academy in Florida for his final two seasons. His decorated high school career included being named a McDonald's All-American, playing in the Jordan Brand Classic, and being selected for the Nike Hoop Summit. Acuff also starred for Team USA, earning MVP honors at the 2024 FIBA Under-18 AmeriCup while leading the team to a gold medal with averages of 17.8 points and 4.0 assists per game. This season, Acuff has been nothing short of spectacular, averaging 22.2 points, 6.4 assists, and 3.0 rebounds per game. He is shooting an efficient 49.3% from the field and an impressive 43.7% from three-point range. In a recent victory over Texas, he tied his season-high with 13 assists and extended his streak of scoring at least 17 points to 24 consecutive games. The high praise from coach Sean Miller is significant given his history of coaching elite talent that has transitioned to the NBA, including No. 1 overall pick Deandre Ayton, All-Star Lauri Markkanen, and NBA champion Aaron Gordon. Miller has coached 27 players who have gone on to play in the NBA, with 12 of them being first-round picks. NBA scouts have taken notice of Acuff's stellar play, with many projecting him as a top-10 or lottery pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. His combination of scoring, playmaking, and efficiency has scouts viewing him as a potential franchise point guard at the next level. Acuff and the Razorbacks will close out their regular season on the road against Missouri. Following that, they will head to the SEC Tournament as they look to build momentum for a deep run in the NCAA Tournament.
