According to ESPN, Darius Acuff Jr. is positioning himself as the next undersized guard to become an NBA star as Jalen Brunson attempts to lead the New York Knicks to their first championship in half a century. Acuff has said Brunson’s success is inspiring and has voiced a belief that he can emulate that impact.
Acuff grew up watching highlight film of Allen Iverson and Stephon Marbury and has embraced a similar competitive mindset. According to ESPN, Acuff measured 6-foot-2 without shoes at the May combine and said, “I feel like I can hopefully do the same thing one day,” when discussing Brunson’s mentality.
During his lone season at Arkansas, Acuff became the first player since Pete Maravich in the late 1960s to lead the SEC in both scoring (23.5 points per game) and assists (6.4). According to ESPN, his all-around play — shooting, passing and ballhandling — pushed his draft projection from a mid-first-round grade to borderline top-five. The prospect checks in at 186 pounds with a 6-foot-7 wingspan and shot 44 percent from 3-point range at Arkansas.
Brunson’s trajectory offers a recent model: according to ESPN, Brunson entered the NBA nearly a decade ago as a second-round pick after winning two NCAA titles, became an immediate contributor for the Dallas Mavericks and later earned All-Star nods with New York. A Western Conference scout told ESPN that Acuff could “open some eyes” and that he shares traits with Brunson, perhaps even more so.
According to ESPN, Acuff debuted at No. 12 in the outlet’s first 2026 mock draft and used marquee matchups to elevate his stock. Notable performances cited by ESPN include 21 points with 4-for-8 3-point shooting against Duke, 17 points and 10 assists vs. Louisville, 27 points against Houston, 29 vs. Tennessee and a 49-point outing in a double-overtime loss to Alabama. Acuff’s agent Justin Haynes described his mindset going into the season, and trainer Rashad Phillips said the NBA is “starting to rotate back to the point guard,” both comments reported by ESPN.
