Darius Acuff Jr. seems like a safe bet to be selected as a high lottery pick at the 2026 NBA Draft. He is not receiving as much hype as AJ Dybantsa, Cameron Boozer, Darryn Peterson, and Caleb Wilson, but Acuff’s former coach thinks the 6-foot-3 guard can become a franchise-changing player in the NBA.
Darius Acuff Jr.’s Former Coach Compares Him to Allen Iverson
Acuff burst onto the college basketball scene after just one season at the University of Arkansas. He averaged 23.5 points, 6.4 assists, and 3.1 rebounds across 36 games. He shot 48.4% from the field on 16.5 attempts and 44.0% from 3-point range on 5.8 attempts per contest.
Acuff arguably has every offensive tool a guard prospect needs to find success in the NBA. His ACC Youth Center coach, Virgil Phillips, Acuff reminds him of Hall of Famer Allen Iverson.
“The Iverson piece is because of his explosiveness. He can literally do anything he wants to do in a game. Whatever it calls for, he can turn it on. I’ve seen Darius go into an Iverson-mode where he’s been totally dominant offensively. He can also become cerebral and get people the ball like [Chris Paul]. He’s thrown the best alley-oop passes that I’ve ever seen,” said Phillips in an interview with Ratings.
Iverson hit the ground running immediately to start his NBA career, averaging 23.5 points, 7.5 assists, 4.1 rebounds, and 2.1 steals. He won the 1996-97 Rookie of the Year and finished 17th in MVP voting. The 11-time All-Star could get anywhere he wanted on the floor, utilizing his incredible combination of speed, handle, and athleticism. Iverson got to the free-throw line a lot, constantly putting pressure on the opposing team’s backline.
Phillips thinks Acuff has all the same tools. He can change speeds quickly, fooling his defenders. Acuff’s toughness and ability to drive downhill pair perfectly with a deadly outside shot. Defenders cannot sag off him at the 3-point line, and if they play him too tightly, he has the burst to get around them with ease. In fact, Acuff has a strong 3-point shooting advantage over Iverson in makes, attempts, and efficiency heading into the NBA.
Virgil Phillips Dismisses Defensive Concerns Surrounding Acuff
While Acuff’s offensive ceiling is sky-high, questions arise on the defensive side of the ball. However, Phillips does not think draft experts and NBA teams need to worry about Acuff’s defensive skill set.
“He always has been called on to be the engine of a team. But I’ve seen him check players. I believe he will check … He has all of the attributes to do it … His Mom was a great defensive player … I think Darius has some of that in him. We just never had to call upon it. [John] Calipari didn’t call upon it, either,” said Phillips.
If Acuff proves Phillips right at the NBA level, he has the makings of a “franchise guy.”
