As the calendar reaches the midway point of March, the excitement for college basketball is near its absolute peak. With March Madness right around the corner, fans gear up for watching the best prospects in the world of basketball who could be the next franchise star in the NBA.
After recent home runs like Victor Wembanyama and Cooper Flagg, the 2026 draft class is shaping up to be one of the best and deepest classes in recent memory. With a host of potential superstars, one name that has been drawing a lot of love recently is Darius Acuff Jr.
Darius Acuff Jr. Gets the Kyrie Irving Rub
A freshman for the Arkansas Razorbacks, Acuff has been on a tear from the moment he set foot in college basketball. At 6-foot-3, he is the ideal height for a point guard, particularly one who is sublime as both a scorer and a playmaker.
He’s exploded with 22.9 points per game as a freshman (among the top scorers in all of college basketball), while adding 6.5 assists per game and shooting a blistering 48.6% from the field and an absurd 44.5% from 3-point range on nearly 6 attempts per game.
A special ball handler and genuine three-level scorer right from the get-go, he earned the SEC Rookie of the Year award while making the All-Freshman Team. However, he truly took his play up a notch during the tournament.
Averaging over 30 points and 7 assists per game, he knocked down 5 three-pointers in the quarterfinals and the finals, as he led the Razorbacks to victory, earning SEC Tournament MVP for his contributions.
His talent is starting to catch everyone’s eye, including veteran NBA analyst Bill Simmons. Speaking of Acuff, his immediate comparison was a former NBA champion in Kyrie Irving. “I’m willing to say it. I don’t know if anyone else has planted their flag on this, he’s starting to look a little Kyrie-ish to me.”
The first overall pick in 2011, Irving is one of the most dynamic point guards of this generation. Widely regarded as one of, if not the greatest, ball-handlers of all time, Irving’s combination of skills makes him a nightmare defensively.
Add in a deft scoring touch at all three levels, and a career that includes nine All-Star Game appearances and three All-NBA selections, and the comparison is a huge testament to the talent Acuff has already shown.
“And I know that’s sacrilege. Kyrie is like the one of one, one of the most skilled guards we’ve ever had, ambidextrous, incredible finisher, just like the guy you would create in a lab. There’s stuff Acuff does that just makes me think of Kyrie as I’m watching him.”
With Arkansas in the NCAA Tournament as a No. 4 seed in the West Region, it remains to be seen just how far Acuff can take them. Their slate kicks off against Hawaii in the first round, and a strong showing from the young point guard could help him climb in mock drafts and boards across the nation.
