2025 5-star point guard Darius Acuff commits to the Hogs

By Kevin McPherson

LITTLE ROCK — John Calipari’s Arkansas Razorbacks are off and running in their class of 2025 recruiting as 5-star guard Darius Acuff. Jr. publicly committed to the Hoop Hogs on Friday.

Acuff (6-3 guard, IMG Academy by way of Detroit, 247Sports national No. 4 / 5-star prospect) privately committed to Calipari in early July, according to sources, as he chose the Hogs over Kansas, Michigan, UConn, and Kentucky.

He took his official visit to Arkansas beginning on May 10, plus he visited each of the four aforementioned schools (the UK visit was in the fall of 2023 when Calipari was still the head coach of the Wildcats).

Calipari was courtside for all three of Acuff’s games during the first portion of the Nike Peach Invitational in North Augusta, S.C. (July 11-14), and Acuff averaged 20.0 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.8 assists while shooting 47.1% from the field, including 42.9% from 3, and 80.8% from the free throw line in his total of five games played at the event.

Acuff was a star on both the 2024 Nike EYBL circuit in the spring (averaging 23.9 points per game) and during USA Basketball U18 junior national team’s FIBA AmeriCup gold medal run (he won MVP honors after averaging 17.8 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 4.0 assists).

He becomes Arkansas’ first pledge in the 2025 class, giving the program its fourth 5-star recruit under Calipari when adding in the 2024 haul of Boogie Fland, Karter Knox, and Billy Richmond.

A source who told Hogville in June that Arkansas was the leader for Acuff’s services also indicated the talented lead guard has plans to sign his national letter of intent during the upcoming November early signing period.

Acuff embodies the notion that “the ball always finds energy” as his instincts, high-motor activity, and plus-floor IQ combine to allow him to make plays at both ends of the floor consistently throughout games. He’s a strong and relentless shot creator who does a solid job of balancing his offensive game with above-average work as a facilitator, but at the end of the day he’s a scoring lead guard. His timing and anticipation on defense allow him to crash passing lanes for deflections and steals.