Darius Acuff: “I Wanted to Be Here” with Kings

“I wanted to be here,” Darius Acuff said of his new team in Sacramento. Just hours after his introductory press conference as a member of the Sacramento Kings, the No. 7 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft joined The Drive Guys for an exclusive radio interview.

“Me and my family wanted to be here for sure,” Acuff continued. “It was a great relationship with Scott [Perry], Coach Doug [Christie], and BJ [Armstrong]. Everybody here is great, and I’ve seen the players that they had, and I wanted to be part of it. I see myself fitting in perfectly.”

In his lone season at Arkansas, Acuff averaged a team high 23.5 points and 6.4 assists while shooting 48.4% from the field and 44% from three. Those tallies also led the SEC, which, as general manager Scott Perry pointed out multiple times, marked the first time a freshman has led the SEC in both categories since Pete Maravich.

Also, recording just 2.2 turnovers per game equated to an impressive 3.0 assist-to-turnover ratio, an aspect of the game he takes pride in.

“It’s very important because you want your coach and your teammates to trust you with the ball,” Acuff said regarding his impressive AST/TO ratio. “Not turning it over is important to me, and that comes with being comfortable with making mistakes.”

“I would say I’m not scared to make a mistake, and I think that leads to me taking care of the ball all the time because I’m not scared to mess up or try something.”

While his offensive production was undeniably impressive, his defensive tape at Arkansas left much to be desired. When questioned about that, the 19-year-old acknowledged his need for improvement.

“I want to get better at that side of the ball, for sure,” Acuff told The Drive Guys. “I think if I defend at a high level, everything else will come with itself. So, I’m definitely focused on getting better on that side of the ball, and I’m with a great organization to help me do that, and I’m willing to correct my mistakes and keep learning.”

The Kings are expected to hand him the keys early on, likely fueling his desire to remain with the organization and become the face of the team. It’s high expectations for the most recent seventh overall selection, but his offensive skillset and production in college to back it up show why there seems to be a belief that he could live up to that.

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What is the next Sacramento Kings Offseason Event?

The Sacramento Kings will now set their sights on the California Classic, with action set to run from July 4th through July 6th at Golden 1 Center.

New Kings point guard Darius Acuff Jr. (7th pick in the 2026 NBA Draft) will go head-to-head against Brooklyn Nets guard Mikel Brown Jr. (6th pick in the 2026 NBA Draft) at 2 pm PT on July 4th, right here in downtown Sacramento.

Be sure to remain locked into Sactown Sports for your Sacramento Kings Summer League news, analysis, and much more!

Sacramento Kings California Classic Schedule

Games played at Golden 1 Center

• Saturday, July 4th – vs. Brooklyn Nets (2 p.m. PT)
• Sunday, July 5th – vs. Golden State Warriors (2 p.m. PT)
• Monday, July 6th – vs. Milwaukee Bucks (7 p.m. PT)

2026 Sacramento Kings Las Vegas Summer League Schedule

• Thursday, July 9: vs. Los Angeles Clippers (8 p.m. PT)
• Sunday, July 12: vs. Washington Wizards (5 p.m. PT)
• Tuesday, July 14: vs. Brooklyn Nets (3 p.m. PT)
• Wednesday, July 15: vs. Boston Celtics (5 p.m. PT)
• Final game TBD

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