Arkansas guard Darius Acuff Jr. is making an impact during March Madness, with the young player crediting his parents for shaping his basketball journey.
According to People, raised in Detroit by his father Darius Acuff Sr. and mother Dureese Owens, Acuff Jr. grew up surrounded by the sport.
His father, a former college player at Eastern Kentucky, played a key role in developing his skills from an early age.
“Family means everything — that comes first,” Acuff Jr. said in a March 2026 interview with Swish Cultures.
“[I’m] always keeping them around. It helps me keep going in basketball, but also off the court in life. They inspire me every day, just seeing them work as hard as they can it makes me want to go hard every day.”
His father also guided his technical development: “He taught me everything that I do on the court,” Acuff Jr. said.
“From dribbling, shooting, all of it, passing, he taught me everything.”
Recognising his potential, the family moved to Florida to allow him to train at IMG Academy, a step aimed at improving his development.
According to HawgBeat, his father said the move was about finding a stronger competitive environment: “We were just coming up with a plan to get in a better environment out of the city that can elevate his game even more.”
