Darius Acuff Jr. Says Why He Is the Kings’ Best Hope to Compete

The Sacramento Kings have been stuck in NBA purgatory over the past two decades, with just one playoff appearance since 2006 and zero playoff series wins. However, there is hope that they can turn things around. Under new general manager Scott Perry, things are already trending in the right direction, and optimism grew in this year's NBA Draft.

With the seventh overall pick, they selected Darius Acuff Jr., a star point guard out of Arkansas, and there is hope that the 19-year-old can become the face of the franchise and help lead them back to the playoffs.

In a recent interview with ClutchPoints' Brett Siegel, Acuff Jr. laid out why he is the best choice to lead the Kings' franchise.

“Honestly, it all comes down to my hunger to win. I hate losing," Acuff Jr. said. "Any time I am on the court, it's not about my stats or any of that. My focus is only on winning. After Summer League, it's all about building chemistry with my new teammates, getting in the gym, and charting a path to success. I think that will go a long way in achieving our goals. All the outside noise of what we will be like won't matter because inside the gym, we'll know what we are capable of. I think that will go a long way.”

Mar 15, 2026; Nashville, TN, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks guard Darius Acuff Jr. (5) drives to the basket past Vanderbilt Commodores forward Devin McGlockton (99) during the first half during the men's SEC Conference Tournament Championship at Bridgestone Arena. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Kings should certainly be feeling great about Acuff Jr.'s confidence, as this type of mentality will bleed through the franchise. The franchise needs a player who is willing to take the reins and do what he can to help them back on their feet, and Acuff Jr. could be their guy.

Acuff Jr.'s Summer League

In his first action as a King, Acuff Jr. certainly turned heads with some glimpses into what he brings offensively, but there were certainly some concerns. He had his best performance of the summer in Sacramento's Las Vegas finale, dropping 26 points and five assists on 9-18 shooting from the field and 2-6 from beyond the arc.

26 POINTS for Darius Acuff Jr. 😳

He scored 16 of his 26 in the 3Q... watch the 7th overall pick play in the 4Q now on Prime! pic.twitter.com/1VcWJuJ6pt
— NBA (@NBA) July 14, 2026

Acuff Jr. certainly had some turnover concerns (3.8 TOV per game), his efficiency was not the best (35% FG, 27% 3P), and his defense was about as expected, but he can only go up from here. Even after not playing his best, Acuff Jr. still felt good about his first action as an NBA player.

“I feel good about what I did out here,” Acuff told Siegel. “I'm not happy that we haven't won as much as I would've liked, but it's all about finding ways to get better. Handling the pressure and finding ways to improve. That's what it's about for me. ... It's really new, so it's just about gathering as much information and learning as much as I can."

While Acuff Jr. still has plenty to learn and improve, the Kings should feel confident moving forward. The Kings' core is improving, and with a long 2026-27 regular season ahead of them, with no expectations, it will give their young players plenty of opportunity to grow.

Follow us on Facebook and X for the latest Sacramento Kings news.

Add us as a preferred source on Google