Darius Acuff, a 5-star point guard, has committed to Arkansas basketball and Coach John Calipari.
The inaugural full recruiting cycle of the new Arkansas basketball era is beginning with remarkable momentum.
Darius Acuff committed to John Calipari and the Razorbacks on Friday during a ceremony in his hometown of Detroit. The class of 2025 point guard, who plays high school basketball for IMG Academy in Florida, selected Arkansas over Kansas and Michigan.
According to the 247Sports Composite, Acuff is the highest-ranked point guard in the nation and the No. 8 player overall. If he honors his commitment and joins the Razorbacks, Acuff would become the second highest-ranked recruit in Arkansas basketball history, following No. 1 overall Nick Smith in 2022.
Scouts describe Acuff as a physically-gifted guard who can navigate through traffic to score using a variety of moves. He demonstrates a solid command of the pick-and-roll and is already a skilled passer, with potential to improve even more alongside talented teammates.
“This is the most dynamic lead guard in this class. He is just capable of putting a team on his back,” said 247Sports Director of Scouting Adam Finklestein during a YouTube broadcast of Acuff’s announcement.
Detroit Cass Tech’s Darius Acuff (5) makes a layup against Birmingham Brother Rice during the second half at Calihan Hall in Detroit on Friday, March 3, 2023.
Standing at 6-foot-3 and 180 pounds, Acuff has the ideal size to play point guard in the NBA and has the potential to be a top defender in college and eventually at the professional level. He averaged 21 points per game on Nike’s EYBL Circuit in 2024.
Acuff recently earned MVP honors at the FIBA Men’s U18 AmeriCup, leading USA Basketball to a gold medal. He started all six games at the tournament, averaging 17.5 points, 4.7 rebounds, and four assists. Acuff excelled on the biggest stage, scoring 26 points, dishing out nine assists, and grabbing six rebounds in the final against Argentina.
Calipari managed to assemble a 2024 high school recruiting class that ranked third in the country despite limited time, but Acuff indicates that the 2025 class could be even stronger.
Calipari is heavily involved in recruiting small forward AJ Dybantsa, combo guard Meleek Thomas, and shooting guard Jasper Johnson, all of whom are ranked in the top 10 of the 247Composite rankings. Dybantsa is the No. 1 player in the country, and Johnson recently announced his top five schools: Arkansas, Alabama, Kentucky, Louisville, and North Carolina.
