When you talk about developing elite point guards at the college level, few coaches, if any, can match the résumé of John Calipari. Over the years, Coach Cal has handed the keys to his offense to future NBA stars like John Wall, Derrick Rose, De’Aaron Fox, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Tyler Ulis, Immanuel Quickley, and more. That lineage alone sets an incredibly high bar.
The numbers for Arkansas’ star Darius Acuff Jr. don’t just suggest promise, they showcase dominance, placing him in the same category as the elite guards who came before him.
Acuff Jr.’s Eye-Popping Stats Highlight Razorbacks’ Star Power
A recent College Basketball Twitter post circulated a graphic comparing Calipari’s top point guards statistically, one name immediately jumped off the screen: Darius Acuff Jr.
Where does Darius Acuff rank among point guards who played for Cal? 🤔
— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) January 28, 2026
🔗: https://t.co/mkHe9WkkxT pic.twitter.com/gdoe3dqfub
Acuff’s current stat line is eye-opening. He’s averaging 20.3 points per game, 6.1 assists, and 3.1 rebounds while committing just 1.9 turnovers per contest. He’s doing that while shooting 50.2 percent from the field and an elite 42.1 percent from three-point range.
Stacked against Calipari’s most accomplished guards, Acuff doesn’t just belong, he excels.
Among every point guard on Calipari’s most impressive list, Acuff leads them all in points per game. That alone is staggering when you consider the names he’s ahead of, John Wall, Derrick Rose, De’Aaron Fox, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, all elite scorers in their own right. Yet none averaged more than Acuff’s 20.3 points in their Cal-led seasons.
Acuff’s 6.1 assists per game rank third among Calipari’s star point guards, trailing only John Wall and Tyler Ulis, two players widely regarded as offensive engines and elite distributors.
Just as important is his command of the ball. At only 1.9 turnovers per game, Acuff ranks second-fewest on the list, behind only Immanuel Quickley. That combination of high usage, heavy responsibility, and low mistakes is one of the strongest indicators of a true floor general.
From an efficiency standpoint, Acuff may be unmatched. He owns the best field goal percentage among Calipari’s featured point guards and ranks third in three-point percentage, trailing only Immanuel Quickley and Rob Dillingham.
Scoring more than anyone else on the list while also being one of the most efficient shooters separates Acuff from even the most decorated names on Calipari’s résumé.
The context surrounding Acuff’s production elevates his case even further. He’s putting up these numbers in fewer minutes than several of the players he’s being compared to, while still carrying equal, if not greater, offensive responsibility. The Razorbacks rely heavily on his game-to-game production, and opposing defenses know exactly where the ball is going.
Despite that attention, Acuff continues to deliver at an elite level.
When you put everything together, elite scoring efficiency, high-level playmaking, ball security, shooting accuracy, and leadership, Darius Acuff Jr. isn’t just having a strong season. He’s putting together one of the most statistically impressive point guard profiles of the John Calipari era.
Being mentioned alongside Wall, Rose, Fox, and SGA is impressive in itself. Outperforming many of them in key statistical areas is what makes Acuff’s rise truly special.
And considering he’s doing all of this at just 19 years old, it’s fair to say Calipari may once again have a generational point guard on his hands.