The last time we saw Darius Acuff Jr., he was putting the final touches on one of the best postseason scoring runs in college basketball history.
Across six games — three in the SEC Tournament and three during March Madness — Acuff averaged 29.8 points, 6.5 assists and 3.3 rebounds on 45% shooting from 3-point range for the Arkansas Razorbacks.
He was the epitome of a three-level scorer during his breakout freshman season in Fayetteville. And we all just witnessed a 6-foot-2 guard carry a team to an NBA title.
Is Acuff really a Jalen Brunson clone? And if so, how many teams can afford to pass on him inside the top 10 of Tuesday night’s NBA Draft?
Let's take a look at my 2026 NBA Draft picks and first-round predictions for Acuff.
2026 NBA Draft Picks, Predictions
No. 6 Pick: Darius Acuff Jr. (+275)
The first three picks in the NBA Draft are all but locked up. AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson and Cam Boozer will all be sporting their official NBA hats within the first 20 minutes.
After that, things start to get interesting because this draft is loaded with high-upside, low-film stars.
North Carolina’s Caleb Wilson missed the Tar Heels' final nine games after breaking his right thumb during a practice. The double-double machine ended his brief college career with just a single game against a top-10 opponent.
He seems to be a strong fit for a Chicago front office that just hired former Spurs center Tiago Splitter to be the head coach. Wilson only took one pre-draft visit, and it was with Chicago.
The writing is on the wall here; he’ll come off the board fourth overall.
That leaves us with a trio of guards to go 5-6-7 in this draft.
Former Illinois star Keaton Wagler has been linked to the Los Angeles Clippers in the past few weeks for his skill set and fit. Darius Garland remains the Clippers' point guard, which means they’ll likely target a true combo guard.
Wagler has the shooting and playmaking ability to transition to a full-time two-guard in the pros.
And, like Wilson, his travel schedule paints a picture. Wagler only met with the Bulls and the Clippers, canceling trips to see the Nets and the Kings. To me, that says Wagler and his agency, ProMondo Sports, are confident he’s a top-five pick.
That leaves us with former Louisville guard Mikel Brown Jr. and Acuff at No. 6 overall.
Brown gave front offices even less to work with than Wilson after suiting up for just 21 games with the Cardinals. His lower-back issues have the potential to give teams inside the top 10 pause.
What’s interesting about the Nets' selection at sixth overall is that they've been linked to Brown, Acuff and versatile big Nate Ament.
Brooklyn isn’t just keeping a longer wishlist in the event that teams ahead of it steal its top options.
The Nets also have major spending power this season with a top-five cap space situation on their books. And it appears they’re already earmarking some of those funds.
The Athletic’s Lakers beat writer, Dan Woike, reported that the Nets are expected to offer Austin Reaves a four-year, $178.5 million contract when free agency begins on June 30.
The Nets finished dead last in scoring in the NBA, so the idea of pairing Reaves with a proven volume scorer like Acuff could be a dream overnight fix.
The final piece of this puzzle is the rumor mill.
No matter what bet you place on the NBA Draft, you need to withstand the urge to flip-flop based on gossip. The biggest piece of gossip surrounding Acuff is that his team prefers a marriage with Sacramento at No. 7.
On one hand, he’d be the go-to player for the dysfunctional Kings from Day 1, but on the other hand, this is a franchise that has continually mismanaged assets.
My read is that Acuff's team is merely posturing to create contract negotiation and roster construction leverage. His team will want the maximum dollar figure and assurances that he won't be joining a roster flush with ball handlers acquired via free agency.
In the end, I expect to see Acuff in a Nets jersey at the Barclays Center next season.
Pick: Darius Acuff Jr. to Be Selected at No. 6 Overall (+275)
2026 NBA Draft Order
| Pick | Team |
|---|---|
| 1. | Washington Wizards |
| 2. | Utah Jazz |
| 3. | Memphis Grizzlies |
| 4. | Chicago Bulls |
| 5. | Los Angeles Clippers (via IND) |
| 6. | Brooklyn Nets |
| 7. | Sacramento Kings |
| 8. | Atlanta Hawks (via NO) |
| 9. | Dallas Mavericks |
| 10. | Milwaukee Bucks |
| 11. | Golden State Warriors |
| 12. | Oklahoma City Thunder (via LAC) |
| 13. | Miami Heat |
| 14. | Charlotte Hornets |
| 15. | Chicago Bulls (via POR) |
| 16. | Memphis Grizzlies (from PHX via ORL) |
| 17. | Oklahoma City Thunder (via PHI) |
| 18. | Charlotte Hornets (from ORL via PHX) |
| 19. | Toronto Raptors |
| 20. | San Antonio Spurs (via ATL) |
| 21. | Detroit Pistons (via MIN) |
| 22. | Philadelphia 76ers (from HOU via OKC) |
| 23. | Atlanta Hawks (via CLE) |
| 24. | New York Knicks |
| 25. | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 26. | Denver Nuggets |
| 27. | Boston Celtics |
| 28. | Minnesota Timberwolves (via DET) |
| 29. | Cleveland Cavaliers (from SA via ATL) |
| 30. | Dallas Mavericks (from OKC via WSH and PHI) |
