By MATT WHITFIELD
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Uber-talented point guard Darius Acuff Jr. impressed this weekend at the Team USA U18 Men’s National Team Training Camp, and was named one of 18 finalists for the team that will compete in the 2024 Men’s U18 AmeriCup in Buenos Aires (June 3-9).
The No. 1-ranked point guard in the Class of 2025, Acuff showed off his silky-smooth shot and handle as he ran the floor like a seasoned veteran and flashed his upside. Acuff’s talents has a who’s who of college coaches closely watching, including two-time national championship coach Dan Hurley of UConn.
“I probably want to get to UCONN and a couple more schools,” he told ZAGSBLOG in an exclusive interview. “It is a great school and they are tough. They play real basketball and it is a winning program.”
UCONN will have their work cut out, however. Acuff Jr has taken official visits already to Arkansas, Kansas, Kentucky, and Michigan.
“It was a great visit,” said Acuff of Arkansas where his primary recruiters are head coach John Calipari and assistant Chin Coleman. “It’s the same situation as Kentucky, just it’s a different school. I love Coach Cal.”
He visited Kentucky last fall when Calipari was still the coach and called it a “family environment.”
Acuff also recently took an official visit to Kansas where head coach Bill Self and assistant Kurtis Townsend are his primary recruiters.
“It was good,” he said. “It was a great family environment. It is a great school.”
Acuffis a Detroit native. He does not have a conference of preference to play in at the next level, but the home state Michigan Wolverines cannot be counted out, and he has also already taken an official visit there.
“Michigan is my hometown school so I’m considering them for sure,” he said.
Acuff also has an eye on the NBA playoffs, where he enjoys watching a certain New Jersey native starring for the Dallas Mavericks.
“I don’t really compare myself to anybody,” he said. “I think I got my own game, but I like Kyrie Irving.”
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