Is Darius Acuff Jr. the next Allen Iverson?

Kenny Caraway isn’t quick to compare players to Allen Iverson. On Sactown Sports’ The Drive Guys, the longtime Iverson fan explained why he feels comfortable making an exception for Sacramento Kings rookie Darius Acuff Jr.

“I don’t say something like this lightly,” Caraway said, recalling how he followed Iverson’s 2000–01 Philadelphia 76ers season and collected roughly 70 games from that year on DVD.

Then he made the comparison plainly: “Darius Acuff is Allen Iverson reincarnated.”

Caraway said Acuff’s game brought back memories of watching Iverson in his prime. “I never think I’d see another AI,” he said. “But, no, man, this dude right here, we got Allen Iverson right here in Sacramento in the form of Darius Acuff Jr.”

He added one distinction: Acuff “can shoot a little better than Allen Iverson” and from “a little more distance.”

Kings rookie Darius Acuff Jr. & NBA Hall of Fam guard Allen Iverson (Getty Images)

More on Darius Acuff Jr.

The comparison comes amid a remarkable opening stretch for Acuff. The 19-year-old guard was selected seventh overall by Sacramento in the 2026 NBA Draft after playing at Arkansas.

Through November 5th, he was averaging 25.6 points per game, ninth in the league, along with 7.0 assists (leading all rookies) and 3.9 rebounds.

Recent outings show the scoring punch behind Caraway’s praise: Acuff put up 34 points and 14 assists against New Orleans, scored 38 against Memphis (on nine-of-14 from downtown), then added 25 points and six assists in Sacramento’s recent win over Dallas.

On Wednesday night against the Los Angeles Lakers, Acuff racked up another double-double, scoring 22 points and dishing out 12 assists.

Iverson set a towering standard. The Hall of Famer was the NBA’s 2000–01 MVP, an 11-time All-Star and a four-time scoring champion. He led Philadelphia to the 2001 NBA Finals and earned Rookie of the Year in 1997.

Caraway’s comparison is an expression of admiration, not a prediction that Darius Acuff Jr. will match Iverson’s resume. But a 19-year-old rookie already scoring among the league’s top ten has made the resemblance a conversation worth having.

Listen to The Drive Guys from 2 – 6 p.m. PST, Monday through Friday, on Sactown Sports 1140.

Click here for full episodes of The Drive Guys.

More Sacramento Kings content from Sactown Sports

• Amick: Kings prefer stability around Doug Christie for now
• Deveney: Sabonis isn’t trying to sabotage Acuff or the Kings
• There is no drama between Darius Acuff Jr. & Domantas Sabonis
• Jerry Reynolds questions the Kings’ heavy starter minutes

Sacramento Kings 2026-27 Regular Season Schedule

• Friday, November 6th vs. San Antonio Spurs (7:00 P.M. PT)
• Sunday, November 8th vs. Miami Heat (6:00 P.M. PT)
• Tuesday, November 10th vs. Orlando Magic (7:00 P.M. PT)
• Friday, November 13th vs. Portland Trail Blazers (7:00 P.M. PT)
• Sunday, November 15th vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (6:00 P.M. PT)

Thank you for reading SactownSports.com. Follow us on X/Twitter and Google News, and subscribe to our YouTube channel.

Related

Amick: Kings prefer stability around Doug Christie for nowAcuff, Sabonis double-doubles aren’t enough as Luka, Lakers rollDeveney: Sabonis isn’t trying to sabotage Acuff or the KingsDarius Acuff Jr. is already placing his name among NBA elitesCan the Kings’ defensive performance vs. Dallas be a real blueprint?Takeaways from Sacramento’s first win of the season