Two freshman guards should be at the top of the Clippers' draft board.
Tomorrow night at Barclays Center, the 2026 NBA Draft really begins at pick No. 5.
The top four selections are locked in between AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer, and Caleb Wilson, and after that, the board opens up.
The Los Angeles Clippers are the team on the clock, sitting on a selection they got through a midseason trade that sent Ivica Zubac to Indiana.
After going 42-40 and getting knocked out in the play-in by Golden State, Los Angeles needs this pick to matter.
Two guards stand out.
The Case for Darius Acuff Jr.
Acuff put together one of the best freshman seasons in recent memory at Arkansas, averaging 23.5 points and 6.4 assists per game while shooting 48.4 percent from the field and 44.0 percent from deep.
He swept SEC Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year, and the Bob Cousy Award as the nation's best point guard.
Ahead of the draft, Acuff has not been shy about his confidence.
"Whatever team drafts me is getting a dog on the court," he told NBA.com. "I'm just going to keep doing what I've always been doing and work hard and prove people wrong."
The concern with Acuff is fit.
The Clippers already have Darius Garland, who they got from Cleveland at the deadline, and pairing two undersized guards together raises questions defensively.
But if this is purely a talent play, Acuff is hard to pass on.
Why Brown Jr. Might Be the Better Pick
Mikel Brown Jr. brings a different profile.
Standing 6-foot-5, he has rare size for a lead guard and showed his scoring ability at Louisville, averaging 18.2 points and 4.7 assists in 21 games before a lower back injury ended his season.
When healthy, Brown was on another level, highlighted by a 45-point game against NC State that tied the Louisville single-game scoring record.
That back injury has been the biggest question mark around Brown heading into Tuesday, but he put those concerns to rest during a recent SportsCenter appearance.
"Everything has been cleared now by the doctors," he said. "I feel great, I feel healthy. I feel back to where I was before the season started."
Brown's length is what makes him such a natural fit next to Garland.
He can play on or off the ball without creating the defensive gaps that a smaller guard pairing would, and reports from ClutchPoints indicate real momentum building between Brown and the Clippers at five after he worked out for Los Angeles last Thursday.
What Los Angeles Should Do
Either player fills the same need for the Clippers, a young guard with star potential to build around as the roster moves into its next chapter.
If Los Angeles values raw talent above all else, the pick is Acuff.
If the front office wants someone who slots in next to Garland right away, it is Brown.
Both would be strong choices at five, and the Clippers should feel good heading into Tuesday night.
