Arkansas guard Darius Acuff Jr. makes 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 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 March 2026 in an interview with Swish Cultures.
“[I’m] always keep them nearby. It helps me to keep going in basketball, but also off the court in life. They inspire me every day, seeing them work as hard as they can makes me want to go hard every day.”
His father also guided his technical development: “He taught me everything I do on the field,” Acuff Jr. said.
“From dribbling, shooting, everything, passing, he taught me everything.”
Recognizing his potential, the family moved to Florida to send him to the IMG Academy, a move aimed at improving his development.
According to HawgBeat, his father said the move was about finding a stronger competitive environment: “We just came up with a plan to get out of town into a better environment that can improve his game even more.”
