The 2026 NBA Draft is nearly here, and teams around the league are gearing up to welcome what is expected to be a stacked class of rookies. As a projected top-10 pick this year, Arkansas guard Darius Acuff Jr. has made plenty of waves, but there is still some debate on where he’ll land in the draft.
Recently, speaking in a segment on his podcast, former NBA point guard Jeff Teague revealed some shocking intel on Acuff and some of the earliest impressions from scouts. According to Teague, his stock may be falling due to concerns about his work ethic and personality in the locker room.
“I got some reports on Darius Acuff. People are questioning his work ethic,” said Teague. “They’re questioning his inner circle a little bit. They still say he’s valuable, but people are just questioning some of those guys around him. Some of his teammates didn’t f*ck with him.”
On the court, there’s no question that Acuff is special. In 2025-26, the 6’3″ guard averaged 23.5 points, 3.1 rebounds, 6.4 assists, 0.8 steals, and 0.3 blocks per game on 48.4% shooting and 44.0% shooting from three. He won the SEC Player of the Year for his performance, leading the Razorbacks to a 28-9 record.
But after all the rumors about his work ethic and character (combined with his limitations on defense), teams might think twice about picking him up. In the NBA, stability in the locker room is everything, and rookies who are mature and teachable are more prone to success than those who play solely for themselves. While none of us were in Arkansas’ locker room, something happened to the point where it’s threatening Acuff’s draft position, and it speaks volumes about how valuable GMs view intangible qualities like maturity, work ethic, and humility in the NBA.
It remains to be seen how this latest development will change the draft results, if at all. Wildly, Acuff isn’t the only player facing questions about his maturity, and it’s impossible to be certain how teams value him over other prospects like Keaton Wagler, Caleb Wilson, Cameron Boozer, and Mikel Brown Jr., but there is one destination he prefers over all the rest.
Darius Acuff Jr. To The Kings?
Only time will tell how the draft plays out, but it’s no secret that Acuff (like other players) favors one specific team to start his NBA career with: the Sacramento Kings. It’s an unexpected choice given the Kings’ history, but Kevin O’Connor recently explained that it’s a real possibility he ends up going there with the No. 7 pick.
“My understanding is that Acuff’s group wants him in Sacramento, and the Kings also really like Acuff as well, and view him as a potential future of the franchise,” said O’Connor. “That’s why I think there is a real chance that the Clippers at five or Brooklyn at six does have the leverage to force the Kings to move up. It feels very telegraphed that Sacramento wants Acuff. They are signaling that if he’s not on the board, they are comfortable with another guard, but I don’t totally buy that.”
The Kings are not typically a desired landing spot for incoming rookies, but they have a lot to offer someone like Acuff. In Sacramento, he’d have the freedom to play through his mistakes in a pressure-free environment. Plus, in the wake of De’Aaron Fox’s departure, he could quickly take over as the face of the franchise.
Ultimately, after finishing 14th in the standings this season (22-60), the Kings desperately need a restart, and Acuff’s arrival would mark the start of a whole new era. The only thing that could hold him back now is his own immaturity, but the young star has plenty of time to get his act together before his NBA debut.
