Kings' Rookie PG Acuff Already Turning Heads With Work Ethic

The Sacramento Kings' improvements this upcoming season will be heavily dictated by rookie point guard Darius Acuff Jr. and how quickly he can take over the reigns as head coach Doug Christie's primary ball handler.

With training camp kicking off this past week, Christie was asked about what he has seen from his new lead guard.

"He’s first one in, last one out," Christie said. "Works extremely hard, takes coaching, watches film. The kid is a machine."

This type of work ethic was a big positive on Acuff's profile coming out of Arkansas, with his college head coach John Calipari endorsing him as an instant difference maker.

Kings General Manager Scott Perry was recently a guest on SacTown Sports' Radio, where he said that he has been most-impressed by Acuff's drive to be great.

Perry said that this can be rare for a player just getting to the NBA and exacting their childhood goals, but for Acuff, he has talked about wanting to leave a distinct legacy.

After receiving comparisons to NBA standouts like Jalen Brunson and Allen Iverson, Acuff shrugged off the compliments, saying he wants to carve out his own legacy and leave his own mark.

With the Razorbacks, Acuff led the SEC in both points (23.5) and assists (6.4) per game, while helping Arkansas to the program's first conference title in 26 seasons.

For a Kings backcourt in desperate need of shot creation and playmaking, Acuff provides both, taking over games with his dual-threat abilities.

After a training camp session earlier this week, Acuff was recorded after practice as the last King in the gym, working on free throws with members of the training staff.

With talented offensive players like Domantas Sabonis and Zach LaVine healthy and looking to bounce back from missed time, Acuff will have no shortage of help on the offensive end.

Getting Acuff to consistently buy in on defense is the next step, as the team does have questions about how they will hold up.

The acquisition of Ben Simmons should alleviate some of these worries, bringing All-NBA First Team honors with him from his time in Philadelphia.

Simmons' size and length gives him the ability to guard multiple positions, while using his anticipation to jump passing lanes and force turnovers.

With Acuff's backup still in question, Simmons is definitely in the running to handle most of the ball-carrying responsibilities off the bench.

With the Kings' Preseason slate kicking off on Monday against the Los Angeles Lakers, expect Acuff to continue to get valuable reps ahead of the regular season.