Deuce's Deep Dives: Kings' Darius Acuff Jr., rookies making early NBA impacts
Deuce's Deep Dives: Kings' Darius Acuff Jr., rookies making early NBA impacts originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
One of the biggest storylines heading into the 2026-27 NBA season was the talented rookie draft class, and they have not disappointed through the first few weeks.
Five rookies currently are averaging over 17 points per game, and a number of top draft picks are having immediate impacts on their teams.
AJ Dybantsa, the No. 1 overall pick, is averaging 19 points per game for an improved Washington Wizards team, while No. 3 overall pick Cameron Boozer has been an all-around force for the 6-1 Memphis Grizzlies.
Versatile forwards Caleb Wilson and Yaxel Lendeborg, both lottery picks, are heavily featured in their teams’ offenses, but it is Sacramento Kings guard Darius Acuff Jr. that leads this draft class, scoring 26.1 points per game.
On “Deuce’s Deep Dives,” NBC Sports California’s Deuce Mason illustrated how Acuff’s play is electrifying the Kings’ fanbase.
“You’re seeing the impacts from Yaxel to Caleb to Cam, and then we bring you to Sacramento with Darius Acuff Jr. giving Kings fans something to be excited about,” Mason said. “Acuff is averaging 26 points per game. That is top 10 in the NBA in scoring, and it’s early, but it’s also ahead of some absolute titans of the game. We’re talking about more points a game than Victor Wembanyama, than [Nikola Jokic], Cade Cunningham and Jalen Brunson, and he’s only 19 years old.”
Acuff has scored 20 or more points in five games this season, and 30 or more in three, ranking second in the NBA with 23.6 field goal attempts a night.
The rookie’s efficiency leaves more to be desired, shooting 40.6 percent from the field and 31.3 percent on 9.6 3-pointers attempted per game, and his defense clearly needs improvement.
However, it’s not Acuff’s raw statistics that excite Mason, but the skills he has shown when leading Sacramento’s offense.
“The numbers are only part of what makes Acuff so impressive,” Mason added. “It’s his handle. It’s his change of pace. His ability to get to his spots. And even when that shot doesn’t drop, it doesn’t faze him. He keeps going. Defenses have thrown everything at him at this point: full court pressure, physicality, length, size, doubles. It doesn’t seem to rattle him. He has a patience to his game that you do not expect from someone his age. Darius Acuff Jr. is becoming must-watch, and this rookie class is special.”
The Kings won their first game of the season 115-100 over the Dallas Mavericks on Monday, with Acuff dropping 25 points and six assists alongside Zach LaVine’s 23 points and Malik Monk’s 24 points.
Sacramento appears unlikely to make the NBA playoffs after its 1-6 start, but with Acuff leading the charge, fans are getting a preview of the team’s future.
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