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

SPRINGFIELD, MA – JANUARY 14: Darius Acuff Jr. of IMG (5) during the first half of the Spalding Hoophall Classic high school basketball game between Sunrise Christian Academy and IMG Academy on January 14, 2024 at Blake Arena in Springfield, MA. (Photo by John Jones/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

By Kevin McPherson

LITTLE ROCK — John Calipari’s Arkansas Razorbacks are well on their way to completing their 2025 class, as five-star guard Darius Acuff Jr. publicly committed to the Hoop Hogs on Friday.

According to sources, Acuff (6-foot-1 guard, IMG Academy by way of Detroit, ranked No. 4/5-star prospect nationally by 247Sports) signed a private contract with Calipari in early July after choosing the Hogs over Kansas, Michigan, UConn and Kentucky.

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

Calipari was on the sidelines for all three of Acuff’s games during the first leg of the Nike Peach Invitational in North Augusta, South Carolina (July 11-14). Acuff averaged 20.0 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.8 assists while connecting on 47.1 percent of his shots, including 42.9 percent from the 10-foot line, and making 80.8 percent of his free throws in the five games he played at the event.

Acuff was a star player on the 2024 Nike EYBL circuit in the spring (averaging 23.9 points per game) and during the U.S. under-18 junior national team’s FIBA ​​AmeriCup gold medal run (he was named MVP after averaging 17.8 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.0 assists).

He becomes Arkansas’ first commitment of the 2025 class, giving the program its fourth five-star recruit under Calipari, joining the 2024 additions 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 that the talented major leaguer plans to sign his National Letter of Intent during the early signing period in November.

Acuff embodies the idea that “the ball always finds energy” as his instincts, high motor, and plus-floor IQ come together to allow him to consistently play both ends of the court 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 of the defense allows him to crash into the passing lane for deflections and steals.