Fellow 2026 draftees identify Darius Acuff Jr. as the class's premier scorer while branding Emanuel Sharp a defensive powerhouse.
Darius Acuff Jr. and Emanuel Sharp earned praise from their fellow 2026 draft mates ahead of next month's season opener.
The official NBA X account posted a video of the rookies choosing the best scorer, the best defender and the most trustworthy to take the game-winning shot.
Atlanta Hawks guard Kingston Flemings and Boston Celtics forward Chris Cenac Jr. recognized Acuff as the best scorer. Milwaukee Bucks forward Nate Ament chose the seventh overall pick as the most trustworthy rookie to take the game-winning shot.
That's high praise from fellow rookies, and Acuff can position himself very well to be the best rookie scorer next season.
The 19-year-old led the SEC in scoring (23.5 points per game) for the Arkansas Razorbacks. He played at his pace in college, beating defenders to his spots and scoring at all three levels.
Acuff struggled to shoot efficiently in the summer league, but still averaged 19 points against tougher competition.
He will have the ball in his hands as the game clock dwindles in the game's final minutes. Acuff got the game-winning assist in the California Classic opener against the Brooklyn Nets, but at Arkansas, he was the hero in a double-overtime loss to No. 25 Alabama.
Arkansas' No. 1 option played 50 minutes and scored 49 points. He nailed the game-tying three with 12 seconds left to send it into overtime.
Cenac chose Sharp as the group's best rookie defender. He saw him rise to the occasion and guard the opposing team's best perimeter scorer for the Houston Cougars.
Sharp was part of an elite Houston defense that held opponents to 62.3 points per contest, the fewest in the Big 12. He averaged 1.1 steals throughout his college career, including a career-high 1.5 in the 2022-23 season.
The former Cougar is an ideal bench player for the Kings as a 3-and-D guard. They ranked 27th in points allowed (121 per game) and tied with the Nets for the worst three-point percentage (34%).
He has a difficult road for rotational minutes next season. Sharp could be the third-string shooting guard behind Zach LaVine and Nique Clifford.
Sacramento's future is bright with Acuff and Sharp on the roster for the next several seasons. They give the team a foundation to build on and hopefully win games sooner rather than later.
Acuff can blossom into a franchise player, and Sharp could be the Kings' next second-round gem.
