Draymond Green Breaks Down In-Game Conversation With Darius Acuff Jr.

It hasn't been a perfect preseason for the Sacramento Kings so far, with Maxime Raynaud's injury definitely putting a damper on things, but it's safe to say that all of the excitement and hype around Darius Acuff Jr. is legit and warranted.

He's coming off a huge game against the Golden State Warriors, where he finished with 25 points, 8 assists, and 4 rebounds in just over 27 minutes of action. He finally had the type of game that should put Kings fans at ease regarding his efficiency, as he shot 53.3% from the field, 66.7% from three, and a perfect 5-of-5 from the line.

During that game, Acuff had an exchange on the sidelines with Draymond Green, who looked to be talking or explaining something to the star rookie.

Year 15 🤝 Year 1

NBA vet Draymond Green coaching up opposing rookie, #7 overall pick Darius Acuff Jr., in last night's Warriors/Kings preseason matchup 🙌 pic.twitter.com/EnyQgBQuIS
— NBA (@NBA) October 11, 2026

Following the game, Acuff was asked about the interaction and stated that Green was trying to teach him and that he was listening to the champion's advice. But we got more details this morning from Green as well on The Draymond Green Show, as he detailed the conversation on the sidelines.

"I saw something in that game that he had the ball the entire possession. And ultimately, down the stretch, late in the possession, he ended up getting fouled at the rim. But my advice to him was just 'hey man, you remember that possession?'" Green stated. "Who else touched the ball that possession?' He's like, 'nobody,' and I was like, 'don't have many of those' because you can end up having a bunch of those with the Sacramento Kings this year and a few things can happen: you can get guys start plotting against you, guys that don't really wanna see you do well, guys that start bickering on the side to other guys, guys that try not to put you in the best possible position to be successful. You can get guys that get upset like, 'aahh man, they wanna give this rookie this, they wanna do that."

Draymond on his on-court interaction with Darius Acuff

"My advice to him was just 'hey man, who else touched the ball that possession?', he's like 'nobody' and I was like 'don't have many of those' because you can end up having a bunch of those with the Sacramento Kings this… pic.twitter.com/yOkX1adCnx
— The Draymond Green Show (@DraymondShow) October 13, 2026

There's a lot to unpack from the clip. From the advice itself to the comments about being on a bad team with veterans who aren't necessarily looking out for you. From the outside looking in, the Kings roster certainly has the look and feel that Green describes above, as any of the veterans could be traded at any point this season.

Veteran Trade Rumors

Oct 10, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Sacramento Kings guard Zach LaVine (8) shoots over Golden State Warriors forward Gui Santos (15) during the first quarter at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Justine Willard-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Zach LaVine and Domantas Sabonis were in trade rumors all offseason, and it's been quiet on the Malik Monk front, but the veteran guard has yet to play in the preseason. There's no indication that it's trade-related or anything like that, but it's something to keep an eye on as the season approaches. All indications from the players, coaching staff, and front office are that everyone is bought in to what the Kings are trying to do this year, but that's easier said than done, especially if the Kings get off to a slow start.

But getting back to the advice itself from Green to Acuff, if Draymond wants to give Acuff helpful advice and the rookie is able to learn and grow from it, that's like found money. Green hasn't been shy about his affinity for Acuff, and even though there's an interesting backstory and rivalry between the two Northern California teams, getting advice from a four-time NBA champion is never a bad thing.

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