Instant Grade: Kings Draft Darius Acuff Jr. With No. 7 Pick

The Sacramento Kings went into the first night of the NBA Draft with picks Nos. 7, 34, and 45 at their disposal, and as things get underway, the future of the franchise is starting to take shape. This is arguably the most important draft the franchise has had in years, and they are not letting it disappoint.

After spending the last month or so waiting for this news to come, it is finally official. As arguably the least surprising move of the draft, the Kings have taken Arkansas Razorbacks guard Darius Acuff Jr. with the seventh overall pick. Here is our instant reaction to the Kings' most crucial draft decision in years.

Kings draft Darius Acuff Jr. with No. 7 pick

Feb 28, 2026; Gainesville, Florida, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks guard Darius Acuff Jr. (5) attempts a free throw against the Florida Gators during the first half at Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center. | Travis Register-Imagn Images

Acuff Jr. is a very polarizing prospect, as arguably the best offensive talent in the draft, but his defensive concerns have been the biggest topic of conversation. Still, the Kings are now officially bought into the 19-year-old point guard.

As a freshman under John Calipari, Acuff Jr. averaged 23.5 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 6.4 assists per game, shooting 48.4% from the field, 44.0% from beyond the arc, and 80.9% from the free-throw line. Acuff Jr. is a legitimate three-level scorer with high-level playmaking, truly being the most well-rounded offensive prospect the Kings could add.

At 6-foot-2 with a 6-foot-7 wingspan, there are some slight concerns about his size as well, but again, the Kings do not seem worried about that. As long as the Kings can surround their new rookie guard with lengthy defenders on the wing, like they already have in Keegan Murray, then they should be in an optimistic spot moving forward.

Grade: A

It is hard to truly evaluate this pick without seeing what else the Kings have in store, but I believe Acuff Jr. will revamp Sacramento's offense and become the star the franchise has frantically been searching for. In this position, the Kings really could not have used the seventh overall pick any better after Keaton Wagler and Mikel Brown Jr. were picked in the two spots ahead of them.

Finding their new franchise star

Regardless of how some fans feel about Acuff Jr.'s poor defense or concerns about his high school shooting numbers, he could be the star this franchise needs.

Darius Acuff on criticisms of his defense and whether his 6’7” wingspan will quell concerns:

“To be honest with you, I don't really care… People are going to always have opinions… I know I want to play defense… I do feel like I need to pick up my defense. So I'm gonna do it." pic.twitter.com/063gwI0OXK
— Erik Slater (@ErikSlater_) May 13, 2026

Acuff Jr. has the flashy ability to take over a game and will undoubtedly light up Golden 1 Center. As sad as it may be, this franchise needs a player who can sell tickets. Sure, we hope it translates to on-court success in the long run, but using Acuff Jr. as a franchise centerpiece is the right move.

After trading away De'Aaron Fox in February 2025, the Kings have been searching for their next franchise point guard. While it will take a lot for Acuff Jr. to become the All-Star player Fox has been, he undoubtedly has the potential.

Now, the Kings need to make sure they can put the right pieces around Acuff Jr. to truly get the most out of the star point guard, but this is a great start for a franchise in the early stages of a rebuild. Scott Perry and company have obviously fallen in love with Acuff Jr., and we can hope he does enough to win over the fans who are doubting the pick as well.

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