Darius Acuff Jr’s Kings debut answered one of the biggest questions surrounding him almost immediately. In the Sacramento Kings‘ 127-103 preseason loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday, the No. 7 overall pick scored 19 points on 8-of-17 shooting, adding two rebounds, four assists, one steal and one block in 27 minutes. Seventeen of those points came in the first half as he ran the offense alongside Domantas Sabonis and looked comfortable against real NBA competition.
Acuff wasn’t Sacramento’s leading scorer — Nique Clifford dropped 23 in what turned out to be night where the Lakers dominated. But Acuff’s performance stood out for the right reasons. He wasn’t padding numbers in garbage time; he played with the starters, handled pressure from the Lakers without appearing rattled, and created offense for himself and others early.
Darius Acuff Kings Debut Answers the Summer League Shooting Question
Acuff’s Summer League efficiency had raised real eyebrows — he shot just 35% from the field across those games, leaving some wondering how quickly his scoring would translate. Against the Lakers, he looked far more at ease, especially in a first half where he attacked, changed speeds and knocked down shots with confidence. The former Arkansas star also flashed the playmaking vision that made him a lottery pick, connecting with Sabonis in the pick-and-roll and keeping the ball moving. Five turnovers showed expected rookie roughness, but the overall body of work was encouraging.
Acuff’s Debut From The Kings Perspective
Sacramento drafted Acuff with the clear intention of handing him a major role right away, and under coach Doug Christie, he’s projected to start at point guard long-term. Seeing him produce efficiently against a Lakers group that included Luka Dončić was an early positive sign. Acuff himself downplayed the offense afterward and pointed to defense as the bigger issue — useful self-awareness from a 19-year-old. The bigger ongoing question for Sacramento is sorting out touches between Acuff, Sabonis and new backcourt addition Zach LaVine, a balancing act that will define this rebuild all season.
Early Comfort Level and What Comes Next
The pace of an NBA preseason game clearly suited Acuff better than Summer League’s more chaotic environment, and he said as much afterward, noting the intensity felt more natural. For a 19-year-old guard stepping into a rebuild, that comfort is valuable. One strong outing doesn’t erase every question, but it quiets the loudest concerns about whether his scoring touch would carry over. Sacramento gets a quick rematch Oct. 8 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles — a fast chance to see if it carries over.
Darius Acuff Kings Debut: No. 7 Pick Erases Summer League Doubts