The general consensus is that Darius Acuff boosted his NBA draft stock
The general consensus from this week's NBA draft combine is that Arkansas basketball superstar Darius Acuff graded out well and boosted his draft stock in front of evaluators and teams. CBS Sports has more:
"A very hot topic in the days and weeks leading up to the draft was Darius Acuff Jr.'s height. The Arkansas star was the best guard in college basketball this season, but people were curious about his height. Acuff was one of the biggest winners of the draft after measuring in at 6-feet-2 without shoes with a 6-7 wingspan. Those are really good measurements for Acuff. He will be in strong contention to be the first true point guard off the board. In our latest mock draft, Acuff went No. 7 to the Sacramento Kings."
Wait a minute -- if Acuff's draft stock is rising, why would he go at 7 to Sacramento? Shouldn't he go higher? It's a fair question, but the article offers a couple of other insights which explain why Acuff's stock could rise yet not lift him above No. 7:
" Three Michigan players (Aday Mara, Yaxel Lendeborg and Morez Johnson Jr.) could be picked in the first round next month. Johnson is the one who has a stay-or-go decision to make, but after he tested this week, he may stay in the draft. Johnson's measurements stood out. He has the perfect size to play either forward position in the NBA and could be a stock riser the next few weeks. At Michigan, he was able to exploit mismatches against smaller defenders on offense. On defense, he's capable of guarding out on the perimeter against smalls. He's a great fit almost anywhere. As for Mara, his stock has been on the rise since the NCAA Tournament, when Michigan won six consecutive games en route to the title. Mara was mocked No. 5 to the Los Angeles Clippers in our latest mock draft, which is his highest projection of the cycle. Mara measured in at 7-foot-3 without shoes, with a 9-foot-9 standing reach -- tied with former No. 15 overall pick Mark Williams for the second-longest in combine history."
That explanation makes sense. You might disagree with the actual conclusions about Aday Mara being worthy of a top-five pick, but the logic is easy enough to identify: If Mara is the No. 5 pick to the Los Angeles Clippers, the Brooklyn Nets might take Keaton Wagler of Illinois at No. 6. Acuff's stock could rise, but due to Mara's stock rising even more, Acuff might still get stuck at No. 7.
There was also a general consensus that Houston guard Kingston Flemings did not grade out well. He was viewed as a possible pick for the Sacramento Kings at 7. If Flemings didn't make the grade but Acuff did, it affirms our initial post-draft-lottery view that Acuff, no matter what, will not fall below 7 to Sacramento. His stock has risen, but if Aday Mara does go at 5 to the Clippers, Sacramento (No. 7) will likely be Darius Acuff's NBA landing spot.