FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The biggest knock on Sacramento Kings guard Darius Acuff Jr. prior to him being picked seventh overall in the NBA Draft on Wednesday was his perceived lack of defensive skills.
Despite his immense amount of talent offensively, Acuff wasn’t a fantastic defender during his lone season at Arkansas.
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He’s a defensive liability because he doesn’t prioritize defense, and that’s something he’s gotta work on,” ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith said of Acuff on Thursday.
Arkansas Razorbacks guard Darius Acuff Jr (5) shakes hands with head coach John Calipari during the second half Texas A&M Aggies at Bud Walton Arena. Arkansas won 99-84. | Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images
Sam Vecenie of The Athletic wrote of Acuff, “Acuff’s defense was quite poor, however, and the impact metrics back up the idea that his presence was often extremely harmful on that end…I’m skeptical of his defense improving, so you’ll need to work around him on that end.
“…It wasn’t just one issue; it was all of them. Starts at the point of attack. Gets beaten off the bounce more often than you’d expect given his strength. Gets hoppy as opposed to staying down and striding out. Also particularly bad in ball screens. Doesn’t navigate them well. Seems to get clipped by every screen. Takes bad angles. Also isn’t diligent in recovery. Will give up on too many plays because he’s too far behind. Rarely seems to stay attached to the play after a screen.”
But Arkansas head coach John Calipari didn’t care about Acuff being a defensive liability during the year he was under Calipari’s tutelage, as he expressed in a Thursday interview.
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“He was such a good scorer, I didn’t give a sh– about his defense,” Calipari told FanDuel TV. “Here’s what I will tell you: I’ve already had this talk. If you are a target on defense, you can’t stay in the game. They will weave and pick and roll and downscreen until you switch on the ball and they’re driving.”
Acuff, like NBA Finals MVP Jalen Brunson, has the ability to become a good defender, Calipari added.
“If you can get by people on the bounce like you do, then you can stop them from dribbling by you,” Calipari said. “[The] biggest thing is your chest now. Back in the day, there was a hand check, it was a forearm. Now, it’s a chest bump. You gotta be strong enough to do that. [Acuff] is. I don’t think defense will be a problem.”
Sacramento certainly needs somebody like Acuff scoring the basketball. The Kings ranked 28 of 30 NBA teams in scoring during the 2025-26 season, averaging only 111 points per game, while no Sacramento guard averaged over 20 points per game.
Acuff could be the offensive spark the Kings need as they look to turn the future of their franchise around.
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Kings fans appeared thrilled with the selection as Acuff received a loud ovation and plenty of cheers when Commissioner Adam Silver announced his name with the No. 7 overall pick. His development into one of college basketball’s premier guards gives Sacramento an exciting young cornerstone capable of energizing the fanbase and filling Golden 1 Center for years to come.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/arkansas as Calipari Says He Didn’t Care About Acuff’s Perceived Defensive Woes.
