Razorback freshman guard Darius Acuff Jr. continues to stack accomplishments in what has already been a remarkable debut season. Acuff was named to the Wooden Award Midseason Watch List, as announced by the Los Angeles Athletic Club, an honor reserved for players who have emerged as legitimate contenders for college basketball’s most prestigious individual award.
Darius Acuff's Stardom Keeps Growing
Selected through a midseason poll of national college basketball experts, the list features 25 of the nation’s top performers, all vying for spots on the Wooden Award All-American Team and the Wooden Award Most Outstanding Player honor. For Acuff, it’s simply the latest recognition in a season that has been filled with them, but one that should never be taken lightly. Honors like this validate not only production, but impact, consistency, and elite-level play.
What Acuff is doing on the court is simply remarkable, no matter his age.
Even by the lofty standards of head coach John Calipari, who has coached and seen the game at its highest levels for decades, Acuff is working his way into rare air. The talent, poise, and command he’s shown this early in his career place him firmly in elite company, not just among freshmen, but across the national landscape.
Following his 26-point, 9-assist masterclass at Ole Miss on Wednesday, Acuff now ranks:
- 35th nationally in scoring at 19.9 points per game
- 22nd nationally in assists at 6.2 per game
Among NCAA freshmen, he ranks second in assists and fourth in scoring, numbers that underscore his dual-threat dominance. Acuff is also the only Razorback to score in double figures in all 15 games this season. He’s posted 20-plus points in five of his last six games and has reached that mark eight times overall, while recording five or more assists in 11 games.
Razorbacks’ Surge Fueled by Acuff’s Progress
Perhaps most impressive is how Acuff continues to improve as the season progresses showing no signs of slowing down or regression. Many freshmen do slow down as opponents adjust and the grind of the schedule sets in, but Acuff has done the opposite. He’s embracing the challenge, taking the bull by the horns, and showing that his play isn't going anywhere.
As the primary engine of this Razorback team, Acuff has proven himself to be one of the best players not only in the SEC, but on one of the best teams in the country. With conference play underway, the next test will be sustaining this elite level of performance against the SEC’s nightly gauntlet. Two games in, the early returns are encouraging.
If Acuff continues on this trajectory, the sky truly is the limit. More accolades will follow, and the conversation around him will only grow louder. For now, Razorback fans can enjoy watching a special freshman guard carve out his place among college basketball’s elite, one who may very well become the next one-and-done star under Calipari, poised to take the NBA by storm.