Heading into the 2026 NBA Draft, the Sacramento Kings have been dealt the No. 7 pick. With this being said, Arkansas guard Darius Acuff Jr. has been labeled as Sacramento’s selection.
That’s if Acuff Jr. falls to the No. 7 overall selection.
“If Darius Acuff Jr. falls to the Sacramento Kings, he will be their pick,” Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints reports. “Acuff is the name league sources have pinpointed at the top of the Kings’ draft board.”
Darius Acuff Jr.’s Impressive Freshman Season at Arkansas
During his one and only season in college basketball, Darius Acuff Jr. rose in NBA Draft stock while becoming one of the elite talents in the SEC. Acuff Jr. averaged 23.5 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 6.4 assists on 48.4/44.0/80.9 shooting splits.
His ability to create offense on his own while shooting at an impressive rate from three has made him one of the top guard prospects heading into the 2026 NBA Draft.
While leading Arkansas to an SEC Tournament championship, Acuff Jr. was named SEC Player of the Year, SEC Freshman of the Year, was a consensus First-Team All-American, and became the first freshman in NCAA history to win the Bob Cousy Award (given to the nation’s best point guard).
Darius Acuff Jr.’s Fit in Sacramento
Heading into the offseason, the Sacramento Kings have a void at the point guard position. The Kings’ 2025-26 leader in assists per game, Russell Westbrook, hits free agency this summer.
Even if Westbrook resigns with the Kings, at 37 years old, there’s limited time left in the future Hall of Famer’s career.
This is why Darius Acuff Jr. looks like the player the Kings are eyeing at the No. 7 pick. His ability to score is already impressive, but is ability to read defenses and get it to the open man may be what’s most compelling for Sacramento.
Kings Have Familiar Links to Darius Acuff Jr.
It’s uncertain if Darius Acuff Jr. will still be on the board at No. 7, but Michael Scotto of HoopsHype says the Sacramento Kings are “enamored” with the Arkansas guard.
Much of this can come from the Kings’ general manager, Scott Perry, who is already familiar with the Acuff Jr. family’s ties.
Perry, during his tenure as head coach at Eastern Kentucky University, coached Darius Acuff Sr. in the 1998-99 college basketball season.
Guards are the Popular Position for Picks 5-10 in the 2026 NBA Draft
Among draft rumors, the top four selections in the 2026 NBA Draft are almost certain. BYU’s AJ Dybantsa, Kansas’s Darryn Peterson, Duke’s Cam Boozer, and North Carolina’s Caleb Wilson are the players who will most likely fill these selections.
Outside of these top four prospects, who knows where teams will select?
Point guard and shooting guard are the positions that teams are most interested in.
From Illinois’ Keaton Wagler, to Arizona’s Brayden Burries and Houston’s Kingston Flemings, teams could go with any combination of these players in an NBA Draft that is full of guard talent.
Specifically, for selections five through 10, there’s uncertainty about the order in which these guards will go off the board.
It’s uncertain on if Darius Acuff Jr. will still be available at No. 7 for the Kings. However, it appears that their top interest is already known with two weeks before the 2026 NBA Draft.
Kings Get Convincing 2026 NBA Draft Update With No. 7 Pick