Darius Acuff Jr. powers Kings to first win with historic run

Acuff finished the November 2 game with 25 points, six assists and five rebounds as Sacramento beat the Mavericks 115-100. The victory was the Kings’ first of the 2026-27 season after six straight losses to open the campaign.

At 19, he matched a feat last achieved by a rookie in 2019, when Luka Doncic recorded 25 or more points, five or more boards and five or more assists over three games in a row. Only one Kings rookie had previously reached that mark: Oscar Robertson in 1960-61, when the team was known as the Cincinnati Royals.

Acuff’s recent scoring run includes 38 points against Memphis on October 31, when he made nine three-pointers and matched the NBA rookie record for threes in a game. He had put up 34 points, 14 assists and six rebounds against New Orleans two nights earlier.

Across his first seven games, Acuff is averaging 26.1 points and 6.3 assists. He has also scored at least 183 points in that span, the most by a guard through seven career games since Robertson, who scored 187 in 1960. Acuff was selected seventh in the 2026 draft after playing at Arkansas.

The Kings still have to find consistency, while Acuff’s early shooting efficiency has drawn attention. He has shot 40.6% from the field overall, but his production and playmaking have made him an immediate focal point of Sacramento’s offense. How he sustains that output over a full season remains to be seen.