Matt Johnson
The Sacramento Kings hoped to come out winners of the 2026 NBA Draft lottery, being put in a position to land one of the four top-tier prospects available. With the club holding the No. 7 overall pick, the draft target has changed considerably.
According to Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports, many around the league “widely believe” the Kings are targeting Arkansas Razorbacks point guard Darius Acuff Jr with the seventh overall pick.
Related: Sacramento Kings Linked to Big Man in Free Agency
- Darius Acuff stats (ESPN): 23.5 PPG< 6.4 APG< 3.1 RPG, 48.4% FG, 2.5 3PM per game, 44% 3PT
It should come as no surprise that Sacramento is in the market for a point guard. It’s been an issue plaguing the franchise since All-Star point guard De’Aaron Fox was traded away. The organization’s hope was that the lottery would play out in their favor and they would have their choice of elite prospects with a top three pick.
Instead, picking at seventh overall, Sacramento will likely be taking whichever of the top guards hasn’t been snatched up already. That group of prospects is headlined by Acuff, Arizona guard Brayden Burries, and Illinois guard Keaton Wagler.
Related: Kings Linked to Bizarre Trade for Superstar
Acuff, who turns 20 years old in November, earned SEC Player of the Year honors this past season and received consensus first-team All-American honors as a freshman. Sam Vecenie of The Athletic has called Acuff potentially “the most polished freshman guard prospect” he’s ever evaluated.
The 6-foot-2 guard’s shot creation, ability to get to the paint, and passing all give him the ability to be a high-end contributor offensively. However, he is also viewed as one of the worst defenders in the 2026 NBA Draft.
In an era where NBA teams have shown greater reservation about making a long-term commitment to undersized guards who struggle defensively, drafting Acuff would seem to go against that way of thinking.
Potentially, Sacramento could draft Acuff and then re-sign Russell Westbrook to serve as a mentor for the rookie this upcoming season. In a best-case scenario, he could develop into a Deron Williams-archetype player.
