Rookie point guard Darius Acuff Jr. projects as the Kings' best player in three years. With high expectations and ability, he may be in consideration for Rookie of the Year honors.
The hype around Sacramento Kings lottery pick Darius Acuff Jr. is real, with the front office and coaching staff bought into the idea of him being the key piece of their rebuild.
Entering the draft, Acuff and the Kings had mutual interest, and Sacramento pounced on the opportunity to get the top guard on the front office's draft board.
On Thursday, Bleacher Report's Grant Hughes predicted each NBA team's best player three years from now, with Acuff getting the obvious nod.
"It's Acuff or bust," Hughes wrote.
He noted Acuff's inefficiencies in Summer League, but said the reigning SEC Player of the Year "will not be a bust."
Acuff can definitely fill up the stat sheet, having averaged 23.5 points and 6.4 assists per game in his lone year in college.
But, his intangibles and self-confidence have been something that has stuck out since arriving in Sac Town, as he has frequently talked about wanting to be one of the best to do it while writing his own legacy.
KingsRoundtable's Demetrius Montero recently reported that Sactown Sports radio host Carmichael Dave predicts Acuff to score 17-18 points right away, using 2021-22 Jalen Brunson as a measuring stick for the reigning SEC Player of the Year.
During that year, Brunson averaged 16.3 points per game, and is a similar player, but Acuff is focused on carving out his own path.
"It's great others want to compare me to great players like that, but I compare myself to who I was the game before and try to improve every time I set foot on the court..." Acuff told ClutchPoints' Brett Siegel. "I want to write my own story and my own greatness."
While Brunson has certainly developed into one of the most dynamic guards in the NBA, Acuff's natural ability and athleticism gives him a leg up on most shorter guards.
Acuff has also been praised by respected former players recently, with longtime play-by-play announcer Mark Jones sharing former Kings point guard Andre Miller's comments about Acuff.
Jones said that Miller even approached head coach Doug Christie with praises for Acuff, telling him "he can really go."
Acuff's former head coach, John Calipari, also had high expectations for his protégé, predicting he averages a minimum of 18 points and eight assists as a rookie.
If he can bring those stats to light and contribute to a turnaround season for Sacramento in the win column, Acuff should be in the running for Rookie of the Year.
