Kings Hand Acuff Jr. Biggest Summer League Test Vs. Clippers

· Yahoo Sports

Darius Acuff Jr. passed his first test in Sacramento. However, now comes an even bigger one.

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After an impressive showing at the California Classic, the Sacramento Kings rookie is headed to Las Vegas for the NBA 2K26 Summer League.

Sacramento opens its Las Vegas schedule Thursday night against the Los Angeles Clippers. The upcoming games look promising as fans will witness a marquee matchup between the seventh-overall pick and fifth-overall selection, Keaton Wagner. 

With every game nationally televised, Acuff will have another opportunity to show why the Kings made him the centerpiece of their 2026 draft class.

The California Classic offered a glimpse of both his upside and the areas that still need some work.

Acuff averaged 23.5 points and 3.5 assists across two appearances, leading Sacramento to an undefeated 3-0 record. While the numbers stood out, the journey to those performances wasn't always smooth.

In his first pro basketball game against the Brooklyn Nets, he found out how fast and tough the NBA is. He didn't shoot very well, especially at the start. The Arkansas alum opened the game shooting just 1-for-8 and finished 9-for-29 overall, often facing aggressive traps and multiple defenders whenever he came off a screen.

Rather than forcing the issue late, however, he made one of the game's biggest plays by finding Nique Clifford for the game-winning three-pointer.

"I was getting rushed a little bit, something I don't normally do," Acuff admitted afterward. "I think I was just moving too fast. Nobody was making me move that fast."

He looked much more comfortable in Sacramento's final California Classic game against Milwaukee.

The Arkansas product finished with 22 points and three assists while shooting 7-for-19 from the field. He also knocked down a clutch step-back three in the closing seconds to help secure another Kings victory.

Beyond the scoring, Sacramento was encouraged by Acuff's willingness to compete defensively.

"I think he's a winning player, and he isn't shying away from that side of the floor," Summer League head coach Chris Darnell recently said. "He's somebody that wants to take the challenge. He's super coachable."

However, the Kings will also have several familiar faces joining Acuff in Las Vegas.

Second-year forward Nique Clifford returns after averaging 12.0 points and 5.5 rebounds during the California Classic. Second-round rookie Emanuel Sharp continues to build on an impressive two-way start to his professional career. 

Defensive center Dylan Cardwell is most probable to remain in the rotation, and reigning All-Rookie Second Team selection, Maxime Raynaud, is anticipated to join the team after completing international duty with France.

First-round pick Alex Karaban is also expected to be re-evaluated after missing the California Classic with an ankle injury.

For Acuff, though, Las Vegas will be his toughest Summer League challenge yet.

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