Kings pick guard Darius Acuff Jr. and 2 others in NBA draft. Here’s what to know
The Sacramento Kings landed Arkansas star Darius Acuff Jr. with the seventh pick in the NBA draft, adding the SEC Player of the Year as their point guard of the future. They also acquired UConn’s Alex Karaban and Houston’s Emanuel Sharp while veteran roster decisions loom.
Acuff’s introductory press conference with the Kings is set for Monday morning in Sacramento.
Here are key takeaways from the Kings’ 2026 draft.
• The Kings selected Acuff with the No. 7 pick after he averaged 23.5 points, 3.1 rebounds and 6.4 assists as a freshman at Arkansas, earning SEC Player of the Year and SEC Rookie of the Year honors.
• About 3,000 fans at the Golden 1 Center watch party erupted when commissioner Adam Silver announced the pick, and Acuff said Sacramento was his preferred destination partly because of his relationship with Kings general manager Scott Perry, who coached his father at Eastern Kentucky.
• On Day 2, the Kings added Houston guard Emanuel Sharp with the 45th pick, a 3-and-D guard who earned Big 12 All-Defensive Team honors and shot 37.2% from 3-point range as a senior.
• The Kings traded with the Cleveland Cavaliers to acquire the draft rights to UConn forward Alex Karaban at No. 29, sending back the 34th pick and a future second-round pick for the two-time NCAA champion.
• Karaban, a 6-foot-7 forward, averaged 13.2 points and 5.3 rebounds while shooting 46.4% from the field as a senior, earning first-team All-Big East honors.
• Acuff’s biggest college game came in a double-overtime loss to Alabama, when he scored 49 points on 16-of-27 shooting, and Arkansas coach John Calipari said several teams “will regret not taking him”.
• Veterans DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine and Malik Monk all face uncertain futures in Sacramento as Perry looks to reshape the roster and cut salary, with the stretch provision possible for DeRozan if no trade emerges.
• The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie gave the Kings an A+ grade, calling it his second-favorite draft behind only Memphis and praising the team for surrounding Acuff with winning players from UConn and Houston.
• Acuff will make his summer league debut when the Kings host the California Classic this coming Friday through Sunday, July 4-6, with the opener against the Brooklyn Nets featuring a matchup with No. 6 pick Mikel Brown Jr.