Darius Acuff Jr. Shines in March Madness, NBA Draft Buzz Grows

0:00On March 19th, March Madness is in full swing, and one of the brightest college stars shining right now is Arkansas Guard Darius A. Cup Jr. In the latest USA Today mock draft for the 2026 NBA draft, set for late June, he's projected to go sixth overall to the Dallas Mavericks. A. Cup has been dominating as a freshman, averaging 22.9 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 6.5 assists per game. He shoots an impressive 48.6% from the field, and 44.5% from three-point range, making him a scoring. Machine, experts love his efficiency running ball screens, and an isolation plays, where he leads all freshmen with 43.1 points created per, 40 minutes. He's also tops among rookies and alley-oop assists and transition field goals, drawing praise from coaches who see him as a top prospect. The Mavericks, now building around Cooper Flag, need offensive firepower to stay competitive, and A. Cup fits perfectly with his all-around scoring ability.

1:04Dallas holds projected picks at 6.30th via Oklahoma City and 50th via Phoenix in this lottery simulation. As tournament games heat up, keep an eye on A. Cup's performances, which could solidify his spot near the top of that draft board.