Darius Acuff Jr. punches his ticket to NBA stardom after first-ballot HOFer officially retires

And just like that, the timeline for Darius Acuff Jr.'s rise to NBA stardom just became a little shorter.

When the 2025-26 SEC Player and Freshman of the Year was drafted No. 7 overall by the Sacramento Kings, the former Arkansas Razorback basketball player joined a roster crowded with accomplished veteran scorers and ball-handlers, including DeMar DeRozan and Russell Westbrook.

Less than two months later, DeRozan has been waived and Westbrook has retired. While Sacramento already planned to turn its offense over to the rookie, they have now committed to Acuff for the 2026-27 season, giving the 19-year-old immediate NBA responsibility.

Russell Westbrook's retirement leaves Darius Acuff Jr. without Hall of Fame mentor

After taking Darius Acuff Jr. with the seventh pick in the NBA Draft and giving him the keys to their offense in the NBA Summer League, it was clear that the Sacramento Kings never planned for their point guard of the future to sit on the bench for too long.

Earlier this summer, the Kings waived six-time NBA All-Star DeMar DeRozan after failing to find a trade partner. Because only $10 million of DeRozan's 2026-27 salary was guaranteed, the move gave Sacramento a relatively inexpensive opportunity to reset its roster.

DeRozan primarily operated as a wing scorer, so his departure freed shots, minutes and offensive usage more than it directly cleared the point guard depth chart. Westbrook's retirement, on the other hand, leaves Sacramento without the veteran point guard it reportedly envisioned playing behind Acuff.

There had been speculation that Westbrook could return, and the Kings reportedly offered the nine-time All-Star another contract. According to ESPN's Anthony Slater, Sacramento discussed bringing Westbrook back in a reduced role as the organization shifted its direction toward its rookie point guard. However, the 2017 NBA MVP and league's all-time triple-double leader chose to retire after 18 seasons.

Sacramento still has accomplished guards such as Zach LaVine and fellow Calipari alumni Malik Monk, so Acuff won't be asked to carry the entire backcourt by himself. Still, neither player will provide the same kind of mentorship as an all-time great who broke multiple records during his time in the league.

For Darius Acuff Jr. specifically, the recent turn of events is a double-edged sword. While he'll almost certainly get major minutes as a starter now that DeRozan and Westbrook are off the roster, he's also going to miss out on the opportunity to learn from two incredibly talented NBA stars.

At only 19 years old, Acuff still has plenty of time to learn, but the responsibility will arrive immediately. Sacramento's rebuild should give him room to play through his mistakes, but it will also place each of his weaknesses under an unforgiving spotlight.

Looking at Darius Acuff's performance in the NBA Summer League, he may very well have benefited from learning from an all-time great like Russell Westbrook. Across five appearances, Acuff averaged 20.8 points and 4.6 assists per game, but he shot only 35% from the field and 27% from three-point range while committing 3.8 turnovers per contest.

Westbrook was never known for efficient shooting numbers, but his slashing ability, pace of play, and ability to affect games when his jumper wasn't falling could have provided an invaluable reference point for a similarly aggressive young guard.

Perhaps most importantly, Westbrook knew what it was like to shoulder the fate of an entire franchise as its starting point guard. Acuff will now have to learn how to handle that pressure without the future Hall of Famer sitting beside him.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow