Kings GM Sends Promising Message to Fans After Darius Acuff Jr. Selection

The Sacramento Kings had their biggest night of the year on Tuesday, and general manager Scott Perry knows it. Perry has hammered the idea that the Kings franchise is in the very early stages of a rebuild, but they have started things off on the right foot in the 2026 NBA Draft.

With the seventh overall pick, the Kings have selected Arkansas Razorbacks product Darius Acuff Jr., giving Sacramento its new franchise point guard with star potential.

Of course, it has been no secret that the Kings have had Acuff Jr. at the top of their draft board, with Perry especially excited about adding their new offensive engine. Perry phoned into the Kings' draft watch party at Golden 1 Center to share a promising message with the fans who were there to support the franchise's huge decision

"This is an extremely exciting night for us as we continue to build this special basketball team for you guys. As you know, we just selected Darius Acuff Jr.," Perry said. "He's a fine young man and terrific basketball player. We thought he was the best guard in this draft. ... He can score from all three levels. He's a great playmaker. And he is really excited about coming to Sacramento and becoming a part of this community."

Kings GM Scott Perry shares a message after Sacramento drafted Darius Acuff Jr. with the No. 7 pick:

“He's a fine young man and a terrific basketball player. And he's really excited to come to Sacramento." pic.twitter.com/yMxXgUfjRO
— Tristi Rodriguez (@tristi_r14) June 24, 2026

Perry has full belief in Acuff Jr.'s ability to be the Kings' new franchise centerpiece, and there are a couple of key takeaways from this message to the fans.

Best guard in the draft

As Perry said, the Kings believe that Acuff Jr. is the best guard in the 2026 NBA Draft class. Three guards were drafted ahead of Acuff Jr.—Darryn Peterson, Keaton Wagler, and Mikel Brown Jr.—yet the Kings likely would have taken the Razorbacks product ahead of all of them.

Acuff Jr. led the SEC with 23.5 points and 6.4 assists per game, showcasing his ability to both create for himself and his teammates at an extremely high level. The 6-foot-2 guard is one of the best shot-creators and playmakers in this draft class, and there should be no doubt in his ability to revamp the Kings' struggling offense.

Darius Acuff Jr. is headed to SacTown 👑

Coach Cal was hyped to see his guy drafted by the Kings at No. 7 👏 pic.twitter.com/nkg3AkF4rD
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) June 24, 2026

There was some talk leading up to the draft about Perry and the Kings potentially trading up to secure Acuff Jr., but they obviously made the right decision to stay put and let him fall into their laps at No. 7.

Acuff Jr. is excited to be a King

It is rare to find a player who wants to be in Sacramento. However, Acuff Jr. is fully bought into being a King. Perry shared that the newest King is excited to be on his way to Sacramento, which should be incredible for Kings fans to hear.

Acuff Jr. also sent a message to the Kings' draft watch party: "It's been a crazy night so far, but I wanted to jump on here live and show how excited I am to be a King. Heard you guys are some of the best fans in the league. I can't wait to experience that energy. Let's get to work, Sacramento. Light the beam."

New Kings point guard Darius Acuff Jr.: “Let’s get to work, Sacramento. Light the beam.” pic.twitter.com/KXjzzNUsQi
— Tristi Rodriguez (@tristi_r14) June 24, 2026

There was some talk before the draft that Acuff Jr.'s representatives wanted him to land in Sacramento, but the fact that he wanted that himself certainly speaks volumes about what the franchise has in store for him. Not only will he be the team's starting point guard, but he will also likely be handed the keys to the offense.

Acuff Jr. in Sacramento seems like an ideal fit, regardless of any defensive concerns, as he will have the freedom to completely take over the team's offense and help get the franchise out of mediocrity.

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

Add us as a preferred source on Google