Clifford Highlights Acuff's Passing Before Summer League Debut

The Sacramento Kings Summer League is just a day away, and the excitement is palpable throughout the city. There may not be high hopes or expectations for the season in terms of wins, but compared to last season's 22-win roster, the team is ripe with excitement after the selection of Darius Acuff Jr. with the seventh pick of the draft.

And, thankfully, we won't have to wait long before we see Acuff and company hit the floor, as they begin their Summer League games tomorrow against the Brooklyn Nets. Joining Acuff will be the rest of the rookies and two-way players, but also returning sophomores Nique Clifford and Dylan Cardwell.

After their first practice together, Clifford was asked if there was excitement coming into his second Summer League and how it compared to his rookie year.

"It's definitely exciting, playing with a new group and trying to figure them out. Learning how to play with new guys is always a fun challenge. I'm definitely excited to play with some of the guys that we just picked up. I'm more comfortable going in this year, knowing what to expect, knowing how Summer League works, so definitely it's more exciting this year."

Nique Clifford on being ready for his second summer league experience, being impressed with Darius Acuff Jr and his passing ability, the environment expected inside Golden 1 Center this weekend and why he gave Acuff the No. 5 for free. pic.twitter.com/dcGVagQQAI
— Sean Cunningham (@SeanCunningham) July 3, 2026

Last year, the Kings' roster was in more of a flux than this season, especially at the point guard position. But this year, the Summer League roster is loaded with guards who should make Clifford's life easier. Clifford was getting looks at the point guard position and had primary ball-handling duties last year, but that shouldn't be the case this season. Between Darius Acuff Jr., Emanuel Sharp, and even Adam Flagler, the Kings have three true point guards on the roster to pair with Clifford.

Acuff Impresses

Nov 27, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks guard Darius Acuff Jr. (5) looks to pass the ball against Duke Blue Devils during the first half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Clifford was also asked what he saw in Acuff, specifically, on day one, and it should come as no surprise that the sophomore guard had nothing but positive words about his new teammate. But is a little surprising what he spoke of first when talking about his new backcourt running mate.

"He can really pass, he can really pass. Great playmaker, great dude to have the ball in his hands. Great teammate, he's willing to learn, so I'm definitely excited to play with him. He's super competitive, I can already tell, so definitely like I said excited to play with him."

Everyone knows that Acuff can score, but his passing and playmaking don't get nearly as much attention. He averaged 23.5 points and 6.4 assists in his impressive season at Arkansas, and it already sounds like both skills are going to translate to the NBA sooner rather than later.

Clifford should be a great match in the backcourt with Acuff, as he can do a little bit of everything while Acuff carries the offensive load and leads the offense, but he should also get more open looks with the addition of Acuff. Clifford struggled a bit from three in his first season, shooting them at a 33.3% clip, but his number of open looks should skyrocket with more playing time, and hopefully the efficiency rises as a result.

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