Two games into the Sacramento Kings’ season, Darius Acuff Jr. has wasted no time taking over the shot chart.
The seventh pick has already launched 50 field goal attempts in his first two career games, which stathead.com says is the most by any player to start a career in NBA history. For a Kings team looking for a young cornerstone, that kind of volume says plenty about how quickly Acuff has stepped into an aggressive, no-hesitation role.
According to @Stathead , the most Field Goals Attempts in the first 2 games to start a career since 1975-76:1. Darius Acuff Jr: 50 (👑)2.
Ron Harper: 473. Kevin Durant: 454.
VJ Edgecombe: 415. Dikembe Mutombo: 40Acuff is going to let it fly this season and I'm here for it pic.twitter.com/hspz0H4Kdq
The reaction around Acuff’s start has split into two camps. On one side is the simple “let him cook” argument: Sacramento isn’t expected to be a finished product this season, so giving Acuff every chance to fire away could fast-track his growth. On the other, there’s the obvious concern about how many of those shots are actually falling.
So far, the numbers have been rough. Acuff has made 15 of those 50 attempts, good for 30% from the field.
From three-point range, he’s 2-of-18, which comes out to 11.1%. The efficiency has not been there yet, but the willingness to keep attacking has stood out even more.
Darius Acuff Jr. has arrived 😤33 PTS for the rook 🔥Acuff's 33 points are the most by a rookie so far this season 👀 pic.twitter.com/Kl53eJTJGH
That was especially clear after an opening night in which he shot 5-of-24 and drew plenty of criticism online. Game two brought the same approach. Against the Portland Trail Blazers, Acuff went 3-of-11 in the first half and missed all five of his three-point tries, but he stayed with it.
The payoff came after halftime, when he erupted for 22 points and helped keep the Kings within range. Sacramento still lost, but Acuff’s second-half burst put the spotlight right back on what he can become if he keeps that mindset.
Part of why this works for the Kings is the roster around him. Sacramento doesn’t have many players who pile up shots at a high rate. Domantas Sabonis is more of a facilitator and screen-setter than a heavy-volume scorer, while Zach LaVine is the one other player who clearly stands out in that area.
There was some hope that Keegan Murray might join that group, but that doesn’t appear to be where his NBA path is headed. That leaves plenty of offensive room for Acuff to keep taking swings.
He still has to find the right balance between scoring and playmaking, but the early read is that he isn’t pressing. He’s getting to his spots, taking the open looks, and in game two he looked more comfortable setting up teammates when the shot wasn’t there.
For a Kings season where his development matters most, Acuff is doing exactly what he needs to do. The one safe bet right now is that he’s going to keep his head up and keep shooting.
In Other News...
Kings Loss Raised A Bigger Question Than Darius Acuff Jr. Answered
Darius Acuff Jr. gave the Kings plenty to build around in their 128-120 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers at Golden 1 Center, and he did it in style for his home debut. The rookie guard led all scorers with 33 points, while Domantas Sabonis added a triple-double with 27 points, 19 rebounds and 10 assists in a game that kept Sacramento close but never quite let it fully flip.
Even with Acuff and Sabonis carrying the load, the bigger concern coming out of the night was the deeper look at the rotation, especially with Malik Monk back in action for his season debut. Monk played 12 minutes and did not score, leaving the Kings with a little more to sort through after their second straight loss to open the 2026-27 season and an uneven night that raised more questions than answers. [Read more 🡒]
Kings Showed Fight But One Early Problem Is Already Back
The Kings had enough offense to make this one feel salvageable for long stretches, with rookie Darius Acuff Jr. pouring in 33 points and Domantas Sabonis turning in a triple-double in the loss to Portland. Sacramento showed the kind of fight that can keep a team from spiraling early in a season, especially after trailing by double digits and working its way back into the game.
Still, the 128-120 defeat left Sacramento at 0-2, and the old issue that haunted plenty of recent Kings nights was back in the spotlight. A rough third quarter put them in a hole, and the three-point shooting never really gave them the lift they needed to finish the comeback, leaving another familiar early-season frustration hanging over a team trying to find its footing. [Read more 🡒]
Keegan Murray's Slide Is Becoming A Real Kings Problem
Keegan Murrays offensive slide has become one of the more uncomfortable subplots around Sacramento, especially for a player the Kings still view as part of their long-term core. His shooting efficiency has dropped well off the pace he set during a record-breaking rookie season, and the recent struggles have shown up again in a loss to the Clippers, where he could not give the offense the kind of steady scoring the Kings have come to expect from him.
The concern is bigger than one bad night. Injuries have interrupted his development, and the churn around the roster and front office has not helped create the kind of stable environment young players usually need to settle in. Even with trade speculation floating around, Sacramento has kept Murray in place and committed to him with a five-year extension, which only sharpens the pressure for his production to catch back up to the role the Kings have carved out for him. [Read more 🡒]