Time for Everyone to Admit Razorbacks' Acuff is SEC Player of the Year

Razorbacks' talented freshman about to equal achievement of greatest player in SEC history

Arkansas Razorbacks guard Darius Acuff Jr. is all smiles prior to the game against the Texas A&M Aggies at Bud Walton Arena Feb. 25. | Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

Darius Acuff was named SEC Freshman of the Week a record eight times this season and is a shoo-in to be the conference's Freshman of the Year. He should also win SEC Player of the Year honors.

Acuff leads the conference in scoring, but it's a close race with Mississippi State's Josh Hubbard and Alabama's Labaron Philon. That honor will be decided this week as the regular season ends Saturday.

Acuff also leads the SEC in assists by a wide margin over Tennessee's Ja'Kobi Gillespie and Vanderbilt's Tyler Tanner.

No player has led the SEC in both scoring and assists in 56 years. Think about that for a moment.

Fifty-six seasons. We've got to go back to the 1969-70 season to find a player who did what Acuff is doing.

That's historic. That's reason enough Acuff should be SEC Player of the Year.

He also leads the SEC in minutes played and assist/turnover ratio. He's the most indispensable player in the SEC.

One more thing: Guess who has the highest scoring game in the SEC this year with 49 points? Yep, it's Acuff.

Add all that together and it spells SEC Player of the Year.

Enjoy Jon Rothstein praise Darius Acuff for 2 minutes and 58 seconds pic.twitter.com/pRTtJ6aC2b

— 🜲 (@RAZ0RBACKS) January 29, 2026

Hogs' guard on track to put name next to Hall of Famer

If Acuff does lead the conference in both scoring and assists, he'll match the accomplishment of one of the most legendary names in SEC history. That 6-foot-5 guard changed the game of basketball with his stylish play and is the consensus choice as the best-ever player in the SEC.

Of course, we're talking about "Pistol" Pete Maravich, the last SEC player to lead the league in scoring and assists in the same season.

Maravich is still the NCAA's all-time leading scorer with a hard-to-believe 44.2 points per game. Not for one season, for all three. And Maravich, a long-range shooter, played when college hoops didn't have a three-point line or shot clock.

We're not comparing Acuff to "Pistol Pete," but he's about to write his name in the record book alongside the LSU legend.

As a passer, Maravich was ahead of his time. Hall of Famer point guards like Magic Johnson and Isaiah Thomas rave about him and admit learning some of their best moves from the Pistol. Check out the video below but skip to 2:07.

What trait makes Acuff so good as point guard?

Acuff is special because he can do so many things well. He's got about every trait coaches would insist upon if they're building the perfect point guard in a lab. Below are several of his strengths, which many players possess. But not many display all these attributes:

• Ability to score at all three levels.
• Speed and quickness.
• Strength dribbling and finishing at the rim.
• Ability to see the entire floor.
• Instincts to be a step ahead.
• Knack for avoiding turnovers.
• Confidence to take the big shot.

That last one is important. Lots of great players shrink from the pressure, don't want the ball or the responsibility with the game on the line.

NO. 18 ARKANSAS WINS IN SEC PLAY AGAINST NO. 19 TENNESSEE 🔥

Darius Acuff Jr.'s 29 PTS were the most by a Razorback freshman since 2018 🤯 pic.twitter.com/rSYwiQfSIt

— ESPN (@espn) January 3, 2026

Acuff is not just a great shooter. He's a great scorer and can find a way when it matters most, but his shooting numbers are all excellent:

• 51% from the field
• 44% on 3-pointers
• 80% on free throws

Acuff can do better at the free-throw line. It's called the charity stripe for a reason and with better focus he could shoot 90% in the NBA. Question is whether he could maintain those college numbers and join the 50-40-90 Club.

Who is in the 50-40-90 Club?

Only nine players in NBA history have averaged 50% shooting in a season to go with 40% on three-pointers and 90% at the line.

That's nine, not eight, and my man below names all nine. It begs the question as to whether Acuff could ever be in the hunt to join that special group of sensational shooters.

Here are the nine NBA guys who shot their way into the 50-40-90 Club:

Only four have averaged 25 points or more in that same season:

• Larry Bird (twice)
• Steph Curry
• Kevin Durant
• Kyrie Irving

What is Acuff's ceiling as a pro?

Acuff is projected to be drafted about No. 7 in the NBA draft this year, give or take a spot depending which mock draft you choose.

Not every NBA lottery pick enjoys a successful pro career, for various reasons. However, Acuff will excel.

Whether he makes the All-Star team or wins an NBA championship is left up to the future.

Acuff has the desire, the temperament, and the skills to succeed. He can help a below average team become good and a good team a contender.

Developing into a 50-40-90 player is probably too much to expect. That's historic stuff.

Arkansas guard Darius Acuff Jr. (5) drives for a bucket as Texas A&M Aggies guard Pop Isaacs is helpless to stop him. | Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

What is fact is Acuff has put together a historic season that makes people remember Maravich. The Pistol was so good LSU named its basketball arena after him — the Pete Maravich Assembly Center, or PMAC.

Bud Walton Arena will never be renamed in Acuff's honor. But the SEC record book will feature his name, likely more than once.

Sounds like the SEC Player of the Year discussion should be over. There's only one real candidate and it's Darius Acuff, Jr.