Despite being one of the top-ranked players in the 2025 high school class, and coming into college with a five-star title, Arkansas guard Darius Acuff Jr. wasn\u2019t looked at as a bonafide one-and-done NBA Draft talent.<\/p>\n
But he\u2019s putting all concerns to rest with his superstar play for Arkansas.<\/p>\n
He\u2019s on the shorter side at 6-foot-3, and while he\u2019s not massively undersized for a lead guard, jumbo initiators have been all the rage of late. Additionally, he doesn\u2019t have S-tier athleticism, which eventually lead to several others being ranked higher.<\/p>\n
So far, neither has made so much as a dent in his on-court play.<\/p>\n
His scorching Saturday performance for the Razorbacks would be a one-off for most: 29 points on 56% shooting, hitting three triples, eight free throws, adding four assists and a steal and block apiece. Instead, it\u2019s just another notch in what\u2019s looking to be an all-time one-and-done season under both head coach John Calipari and Arkansas.<\/p>\n
Acuff has come on legitimate game-dictater, using his blend of handling, feel and white-hot scoring ability to serve as a veteran-esque presence for Arkansas. He\u2019s now notched 20-plus points in eight games, having gone for five or more assists in 10 games.<\/p>\n
Saturday was his best performance yet, especially considering the competition in No. 19 Tennessee. He knocked down quick-fire triples with ease, sliced to the lane for touchy layups and continued to get into the mid-range for what\u2019s becoming a patented floater. His play-making punch came with four turnovers attached, though there\u2019s plenty of film to point to regarding his passing impact.\u00a0<\/p>\n
NO. 18 ARKANSAS WINS IN SEC PLAY AGAINST NO. 19 TENNESSEE \ud83d\udd25 <\/p>\n
Darius Acuff Jr.’s 29 PTS were the most by a Razorback freshman since 2018 \ud83e\udd2f pic.twitter.com\/rSYwiQfSIt<\/a><\/p>\n