Darius Acuff Jr.’s first run in NBA Summer League had the kind of start that can rattle a young guard - and the kind of finish that reminds everyone why he was such a big name coming in.
The No. 7 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft drew plenty of attention in Sacramento’s opener against the Brooklyn Nets, and for good reason. Arkansas basketball fans finally got their first look at the former Razorbacks point guard in a Kings uniform, and the night ended with Sacramento pulling out a 79-76 win on Nique Clifford’s clutch three-pointer in the closing seconds, with Acuff getting the assist.
But Acuff’s box score tells only part of the story. He opened the game 1-for-10 from the field and had trouble finishing through the length and size he saw at the rim. His shot from deep was off, too, as he went 1-for-9 from beyond the arc over the course of the game.
Even with the rough beginning, he settled in as the night went on. After that cold stretch, Acuff went 8-for-19 from the field and started stacking together the kind of plays that showed off his offensive feel, including a few highlight-reel assists before the final buzzer.
He finished with 25 points, four assists, one rebound, and one steal. On top of that, he forced a pair of turnovers while guarding ballhandlers, though he also missed a few assignments on the defensive end.
For a 19-year-old making his first Summer League appearance, there was plenty for Sacramento to like. Acuff looked comfortable handling the ball as the primary option, worked well in the pick-and-roll, and kept attacking even after the shots weren’t falling early. That persistence paid off, because by the end of the game he looked much more settled running the offense.
The inefficiency stood out, no question. But one shaky opening stretch is not enough to make any sweeping judgment.
Young guards, especially smaller ones, often need time to adjust to NBA-level length and physicality. Acuff did that in real time, and by the end he was controlling the game more as a passer when his jumper wasn’t there.
Now the focus shifts to his next Summer League outing, where the question will be whether that rough start was just first-game noise or a sign of bigger growing pains for Sacramento’s newest addition.
In Other News...
Arkansas Is Sending A Stunning Number Of Hogs To Summer League
The Arkansas pipeline to NBA Summer League is about as crowded as it gets this year, with 11 former Razorbacks set to suit up for various pro teams. The group includes three recent draft picks in Darius Acuff Jr., Meleek Thomas and Trevon Brazile, along with a familiar mix of former Hogs such as Adou Thiero, Jonas Aidoo, Johnell Davis, Ricky Council, Au'Diese Toney and Nick Pringle.
For Arkansas fans, the bigger picture is the range of paths these players are taking into the next stage. Some are arriving with the momentum of draft night, others are trying to turn a summer invite into a longer look, and a few are landing in situations where they will be sharing the floor with former teammates. It gives the Razorbacks a rare kind of July visibility, with so many ex-Hogs spread across the league and each one carrying a little more intrigue than a typical summer roster spot. [Read more 🡒]
Why Ismael Cisse Could Quietly Change Arkansas This Fall
Ismael Cisses arrival at Arkansas has been easy to overlook in a roster full of fresh faces, but the former Stanford receiver has already made a case to matter this fall. After his time in Palo Alto included a promising stretch before his role faded, Cisse brought a reputation for steadiness to Fayetteville, and that has carried over into the way Arkansas coaches talk about him now.
Under Ryan Silverfield, the Razorbacks are looking for dependable targets who can line up, run clean routes and give the offense some stability, and Cisse fits that profile. He has put the injury setback behind him and is expected to be part of the mix, which makes his presence one of those quiet developments that could end up shaping the offense more than anyone realized in the spring. [Read more 🡒]