Darius Acuff Jr. leads a talented squad into the California Classic, determined to build chemistry and defend home court as Sacramento chases its third Summer League title.
Sacramento Kings fans will only have to wait one more day to see their lottery pick, Darius Acuff Jr., and he is equally as excited to see the fans show up at the Golden 1 Center.
The Kings held a practice ahead of Saturday's game against the Brooklyn Nets and their lottery pick, Mikel Brown Jr. It was the first practice for the rookies and summer league signees aiming to make an impact.
Sacramento will play three games in the California Classic and four games in the Las Vegas Summer Leagues. The young and talented squad is getting a head start with the three-day tournament that starts on Saturday.
Acuff Jr. and the team have one goal throughout the California Classic: defend home court.
"The main goal of everybody is to win the games," Acuff Jr. told reporters on Thursday. "It's our home floor. We want to win every game, but like you said, just learning everybody and getting that chemistry going (is going) to be the best part."
Thursday's practice prepared the team to protect their home floor, but it didn't come without its bumps and bruises. Acuff Jr. said the transition drill tired the players out, leading to mistakes during the practice.
"We was probably a little fatigued, but I think after that everybody got used to it," Acuff Jr. said. "I don't think anything was sloppy, though. I think it was just mistakes."
After the team got used to running up and down the court as they did in college, their performance sharpened. Practicing at a high level is important for the squad to win every game they play in the summer league.
Historically, Sacramento has put together dominant summer league teams. The franchise has two summer league championships (2014 and 2021) and was a runner-up last summer, losing to the Charlotte Hornets.
The Kings will have another shot at making a championship run to win their third title. Acuff Jr. is the star of the show, with Alex Karaban and Emanuel Sharp as experienced shooters on the perimeter.
After Brooklyn, Acuff Jr. will face off against Yaxel Lendeborg and the Golden State Warriors on Sunday. Sacramento finishes its three-game slate against Brayden Burries, Nate Ament and the Milwaukee Bucks.
Acuff Jr. and his squad had an intense practice for Saturday's California Classic opener, and he's excited to see Kings fans cheer the team on in their home arena.
"I can't wait to see how it's going to look for sure," Acuff Jr. said. "I think it's going to be a great game. I think the fans are going to show up for sure, and I can't wait."
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