Arkansas basketball continues to surge in the SEC, and John Calipari’s recent National Player of the Year remarks have intensified the spotlight on Darius Acuff Jr. After defeating Texas A&M 99–84 at Bud Walton Arena to secure their sixth win in seven games, Calipari made it clear he believes the Razorbacks’ true freshman guard—who leads the SEC in scoring at 22.1 points per game—deserves far greater national recognition.
The Razorbacks improved to 21–7 overall and 11–4 in conference play with Wednesday night’s victory. Despite shooting only 36.1 percent in the first half, Arkansas dominated defensively, forcing 13 turnovers to maintain a competitive advantage. The offense then erupted after the break, connecting on 13 consecutive field goals and finishing the game shooting 51 percent from the floor.
Acuff once again delivered a sensational performance with 22 points, seven dimes, five boards, and three steals. After starting 1-for-10 to open the game, the freshman sensation answered with 17 second-half points to fuel a comeback. He extended his streak to nine consecutive games with at least 20 points, further strengthening his Player of the Year resume.
Following the victory, The Field of 68 posted a clip on X (formerly known as Twitter) from Calipari’s postgame media session, where the Arkansas head coach addressed his guard’s standing in the National Player of the Year conversation.
“I'm a little disappointed, why isn't he in the National Player of the Year equation?… He's doing things in the guts of games. And he's playing when he could probably take some games off. He's playing anyway”
John Calipari on Darius Acuff 👀
"I'm a little disappointed, why isn't he in the National Player of the Year equation?… He's doing things in the guts of games. And he's playing when he could probably take some games off. He's playing anyway"pic.twitter.com/Wiq7I9Idbb
— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) February 26, 2026
The 2012 national championship–winning coach with the Kentucky Wildcats pointed to Acuff’s overall command of the game to support his case. Calipari emphasized his impact in critical moments and his willingness to carry the load, qualities that elevate him beyond raw statistics and strengthen his standing in the national conversation.
As the Razorbacks rise in the standings, the National Player of the Year push from Calipari feels increasingly justified. If Acuff maintains his current level of production, the national conversation may just soon follow.
