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Jay Bilas 'surprised' Darius Acuff Jr. not discussed as No. 1 pick option in 2026 NBA Draft

IMG_0985by: Griffin McVeigh03/31/26griffin_mcveigh

When discussing who should be taken No. 1 overall in the 2026 NBA Draft, two or three names really stand out. ESPN’s Jay Bilas revealed he would ‘lean’ toward AJ Dybantsa over Darryn Peterson at this point. Duke‘s Cameron Boozer is another name usually tied to the conversation. But there’s somebody else that Bilas claims to be “surprised” is not considered to be in the mix.

“Darius Acuff Jr. at Arkansas is the real deal,” Bilas said via The Ryen Rusillo Show. “Like, that guy — I’m a little surprised he’s not talked about as a No. 1 pick option. But whoever gets him is getting a killer.”

Acuff became a fan favorite in the latter stages of the season. His breakout on the national stage began due to a career night vs. Alabama in Coleman Coliseum. Arkansas may have lost the game but Acuff put up 49 points on 16 of 27 shooting. He added five rebounds, seven assists, and three steals to the tally.

In reality, this was something Acuff did throughout the entire year. His averages sat at 23.5 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 6.4 assists per game. Around 48% of his shots from the field went in, including 44% from the three-point line. NBA teams are going to fall in love with Acuff because of his scoring, only to add a player who can also create. Also, his mental makeup appears to be in the right place.

“Winning, that’s the only thing on my mind,” Acuff said during the NCAA Tournament. “Whatever I got to do to get my team to win, that’s what I’m going to do… It’s been a great journey. A lot of learning, I’m going to keep learning. It’s been great playing with these guys. Like I always said, I love playing with them. So, want to continue that.”

ESPN released a mock draft on March 11, placing Acuff No. 7 overall to the Dallas Mavericks. Three other point guards went ahead of the Arkansas product. Peterson was one, followed by Kingston Flemings and Keaton Wagler. Defensive concerns might be one of the reasons Acuff slips, no matter how good his offensive attributes are.

But there is plenty of time for Acuff to prove himself through the process. A lot of believers are out there for the true freshman point guard, with Bilas being one of them. Whether or not he can sneak into the No. 1 overall conversation will be something to follow.