Arkansas guard Darius Acuff Jr. is making an impact during March Madness The young player credits his parents for shaping his basketball journey.
According to People, raised in Detroit by his father Darius Acuff Sr. and mother Durice Owens, Acuff Jr. grew up surrounded by sports.
His father, a former college player at Eastern Kentucky, was instrumental in developing his skills from an early age.
“Family means everything – that comes first,” Acuff Jr. said in an interview with Swish Cultures in March 2026.
“(I) always have them with me. It helps me grow in basketball, but also in life off the court. They inspire me every day, just seeing them work as hard as they can makes me want to work harder every day.”
His father also guided his technical development: “He taught me everything I do on the court,” Acuff Jr. said.
“From dribbling, to shooting, all that, to passing, he taught me everything.”
Recognizing his potential, the family moved to Florida to allow him to train at the IMG Academy, a move aimed at improving his development.
According to Hogbeat, his father said the move was about finding a stronger competitive environment: “We were coming out of the city with a plan to get a better environment that could elevate his game even more.”
