If you have not been tuned into the young career of rookie Darius Acuff thus far, it might be time to buy stock now. The Arkansas phenom has already made a huge impact in Sacramento, breaking rookie NBA records, stirring up a desolate locker room, and taking charge of a team that desperately needed an identity. I’ll break down the stunning start to his career & catch you up to date so you don’t miss out on the next BIG thing.
Although the Sacramento Kings have started 1-6, Acuff has shown serious promise for the future. From day one, the former Razorback inserted himself as the scoring focal point of the offense. Currently, Acuff leads the Kings by a wide margin in shots attempted, with 23.6 per game (165 total attempts). The next closest? Co-star Zach LaVine with 15.6 attempts per game (109 total).
Acuff’s “green light” has led to a historic start. His 73 shot attempts over his first three career games set an all-time NBA record for the most volume to start a career since tracking began in 1975. And despite shooting 40.6% from the field, his high-volume shooting has resulted in the highest points per game (26.1) by any rookie since Michael Jordan in 1984-85.
Acuff’s statement game to define his historic start came on Halloween night against Memphis. From the get-go, Darius Acuff was feeling it. He had his season-high in field goal percentage (64.3%) on 12-for-25 shooting and dropped 38 points! Nine of those shots were 3-balls. Those AREN’T rookie numbers.
“I don’t worry about him, man. … He’s just a special player. He’s going to continue to be aggressive, get downhill. I don’t worry about his starts because he has a level of confidence in himself that he will keep playing.”
— Coach Doug Christie when asked about the trust in Darius Acuff Jr.
A rookie coming into a system and instantly taking the majority of the looks will inevitably result in some locker room tension. The Kings’ pace-and-space play is usually run through star center Domantas Sabonis. Sabonis has already made it clear he does not align with Acuff’s play, and it could cause discourse about the future of the Kings’ frontcourt come the trade deadline.
A change in Sacramento was much needed, and in my opinion, Sabonis is being selfish. Sabonis has been a multi-year cornerstone of the Kings’ identity, but he hasn’t delivered postseason success or even advanced past the first round. It’s time a new focal point takes the helm of the Kings’ offensive play. If Sabonis can’t accept his role with the new direction of the team, then he might have a new home in a few months.
It almost feels like Darius Acuff is the “reset” button Kings fans have been praying for. It may take a few more pieces, a few years, and an established identity, but the Kings may be due for a resurgence of their 2021 “Beam Team” success soon.
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