Arkansas basketball is set to face Missouri, and they could be without their star freshman in the matchup. Darius Acuff Jr. had an update to his status, and it doesn't look good for his chances of suiting up, according to Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports.
“Source: Arkansas' Darius Acuff (undisclosed) is doubtful to play on Saturday against Missouri. Averages 22.2 PPG and 6.4 APG. Razorbacks are 22-8,” Rothstein wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
Hours later, it was confirmed that Acuff would not play in the game, as he's dealing with a nagging ankle injury, according to ESPN's Pete Thamel.
The hope is that the ankle is something that continues to affect the guard, as he's played an outstanding freshman season that many people are talking about.
Acuff has been Arkansas' best player this season, averaging 22.2 points per game, and he's being put in conversations for some of the best guards that John Calipari has coached throughout his career.
Gary Parrish of CBS Sports was the latest person to draw Derrick Rose and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander comparisons to Acuff.
“John Calipari has coached some amazing guards, guys like Derrick Rose and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, two people who have been the NBA's MVP, and Darius Acuff Jr. is having a better freshman season than either one of those players,” Parrish said. “He's now averaging 22.2 points and 6.4 assists per game. Derrick Rose didn't have those numbers, neither did SGA.”
Acuff is set to be a top draft pick this year, and a team that is looking for a guard that can score at a high level should consider selecting him if he's still on the board.
