u/Fishyblue11

Here we go again, another Acuff discussion, but forgive me, because I can't stand how Acuff is always being talked about like he's a scoring guard who will help us by scoring 30 points a game, when truly the skill people should be focusing on the most is the most valuable skill Acuff brings to the table:

His ability to read and manipulate a defense

Acuff's most valuable skill is defense manipulation. What this means is that while scorers may try to find ways to get past a defense in order to get a bucket, there are certain players who make a living by manipulating the defense and making it move and react according to their wishes.

Why is this distinction important?

Because manipulating the defense means you are setting the tone and the tempo, not the defender, and you are making the defense move how you want it to move in order to create openings for your teammates.

One of Acuff's noted skills is his mental map, he knows where everyone is on the court, and he knows where the ball needs to go. This is why Arkansas was one of the best transition teams in the country, because Acuff could know even before he gets the ball, where the ball should go to get it going to the other side.

Acuff has the feel for where openings appear, and the timing to know when to pass into them. He can use a dribble move, see the defense reacting, and know what passes are available to him, who is going to be open, and when to make the pass. And he has the decision making to consistently make the right reads and right calls on what to do, that's the most important part.

When people say that Acuff isn't like what the nets have been picking, I say that is a good thing. Why? Because Acuff precisely had the skills that no one on the nets roster possesses.

No one on our team has the ability to size up a defense and break it down. No one on our team is a big enough threat that defenses have to respect them, and therefore allows their creation to open up opportunities for others because they have gravity.

Defenses have to respect Acuff's finishing and shooting ability, which means they will be threatened and react to his offensive movements, which lead to them making mistakes and leaving others open. That is how his offense unlocks the offense of others, and how a creator raises the offensive ability of the entire team, not just themselves. That is how Demin gets open looks, and how he will be able to drive without the use of picks, by acting as a secondary playmaker who feeds off of the initial creator who freed him up.

Adding a player with gravity, with the ability to read and work a defense, that has a massive impact on a team which finished as the worst offense in the entire league. We are a team of role players, and what role players need is a central player to play off of, so they can be free to play their role.

This is going to be a player that makes the rest of the team better, and that's why I think his impact will go beyond his individual production. He is going to make MPJ better, he is going to make Demin better, exactly the same way we saw Jason Kidd make all of his teammates better.

Just to give us a sense of scale on how we are measuring players, here's a little something we can do: How do you compare the top 10 of 2025 vs the prospective top 10 of 2026?

So Flagg, Harper, Edgecombe, Knueppel, Bailey, Tre Johnson, Fears, Demin, CMB, Maluach

vs Dybantsa, Peterson, Boozer, Wilson, Acuff, Wagler, Flemings, Burries, Brown, Lendeborg/Philon

I think it goes - Flagg, Dybantsa, Peterson, Harper, Boozer, Knueppel, Edgecombe, Wilson, Bailey, Acuff, Wagler, Tre Johnson, Burries, Flemings, CMB, Brown, Fears, Demin, Maluach, Lendeborg/Philon

For so long, the excuse the DDS have given is:

Bakit tayo nagpapa-judge sa mga dayuhan? Eh meron naman tayong mga functioning courts sa bansa. Dapat ang mga pilipino ay hinuhusgahan ng mga pilipino!

But with this whole Bato fiasco, APC has literally come out and showed us why exactly we need the ICC. The entire senate majority instigated a shootout to hide and protect bato, to help him evade arrest.

When the highest levels of your government are protecting and keeping Bato from being captured, hindi ba yun ang nagsasabi sa atin na hindi kaya kasuhan si Bato sa pilipinas?

Kaya natin hindi kaya kasuhan si Duterte at si Bato sa pilipinas is precisely because ang mga kakampi nila ay puro nasa gobyerno at proprotektahan sila kahit anong mangyari, ibig sabihin imposible na magkaroon ng patas na trial dito sa pilipinas. At pinakita ito kahapon ni APC. Mas gusto pa nilang magbarilan kesa ibigay si Bato.

Pag may nagtanong pa kung bakit hindi dito sa Pilipinas kasuhan si Bato at Duterte, yun ang sagot - ang mga politiko sa pilipinas ay ginagawa ang lahat para protektahan ang pamilyang duterte at mga kakampi nila, at kahit kelan di sila papayag na kasuhan ang mga duterte. IMPOSIBLE ang isang patas na kaso dito sa Pilipinas

Stats:

18.2 ppg 4.7 ast 3.3 rpg 1.2 spg 3.1 TO

41% FG 34.4% 3pt 84.4% FT on 5.8 FTA

58% TS% 51% EFG% 62% at rim %

Measurements:

6'3.5" barefoot, 6'7.5" wingspan, 8'3.5" standing reach, 190 lbs

Scouting nuggets:

Strengths

Positional size and athleticism - largest lead guard (wagler is more secondary guard), among the best athleticism among the guards also

Shooting and shot making upside - 58% of his shots attempts are threes, long shooting range, shot 34% on jumpers (55% dribble jumpers 45% catch and shoot)

Handling and creation upside - shot 40% on isos, good free throw rate

Passing and playmaking upside - flashes of passing, but turnover prone

Areas of improvement

Efficiency and decision making - inefficient and turnover prone due to poor decision making and shot selection, relies on threes, doesn't hesitate to take contested or early shots

Defense - thin, lack of strength

Stats:

16.1 ppg 2.4 apg 4.9 rpg 1.5 spg 1.5 TO

49.1% FG 39.1% 3pt 80.5% FT on 4.3 FTA

62% TS% 57% EFG% 63% at rim %

Measurements:

6'3.75" barefoot, 6'6" wingspan, 8'2.5" standing reach, 215 lbs

Scouting nuggets:

Strengths

Complimentary scoring - doesn't dominate the ball to score, 80% of scoring is done in transition, pick and roll, and spot up shooting, at his best in transition, tailor made role player game

Handling and creation upside - can handle like a lead guard, excellent in pick and roll

Defensive playmaking and impact - can guard both guard positions, strength and speed combo, one of the best perimeter defenders in the draft

Positional versatility - best as a 2 guard, could spend time as PG, or even some SF, polished all around game

Areas of improvement

Size and athleticism - small in terms of wing players, not explosive athlete, no elite level skill

Age - will be 21 by the time of his first game

Stats:

16.1 ppg 5.2 apg 4.1 rpg 1.5 stl 1.8 TO

47.6% FG 38.7% 3pt 84.5% FT on 3.5 FTA

56% TS% 52% EFG% 55% at rim %

Measurements:

6'2.5" barefoot, 6'3.5" wingspan, 8'2.5" standing reach, 183 lbs

Scouting nuggets:

Strengths

Rim pressure and driving - smooth speedy guard, first step can get past defense and puts pressure on rim

Three level scoring upside - mid range off the dribble shot maker, 83% of shots were dribble jumpers, hitting 42% of them, hit 46% of two pointers, more of a catch and shoot three point shooter, 46% on catch and shoot threes, 56% on open threes, 42% on guarded, shot 31% on off the dribble threes, shot 37% on isos

Passing and playmaking - takes care of the ball, fast processor

Defensive playmaking and upside - instinctual competitive defender, best hands in the draft

Areas for improvement

Strength and physicality - thin, lack of strength results in some finishing issues and lack of FT

Shot profile and consistency - not elite in any aspect of offense, rim finishing lacks floater or FT drawing, mid range strongest weapon but not ideal shot choice, three point offense lacks volume, jumper mechanics not ideal, ended the year poorly shooting just 41% FG in his final 15 games, started the year shooting 54% in his first 15 games

Stats:

17.9 ppg 4.2 apg 5.1 rpg 0.9 spg 1.8 TO

44.5% FG 39.7% 3pt 79.6% FT on 5.8 FTA

60% TS% 54% EFG% 55% at rim %

Measurements:

6'5" barefoot, 6'6.25" wingspan, 8'4" standing reach, 188 lbs

Scouting nuggets:

Strengths

Size, pace, and craft - positional size with good rebounding, truly crafty player

Shooting and shot making - 49% of his shots are threes, 40% of his shots are catch and shoot 60% off the dribble, 41% on catch and shoot threes, 42% on guarded shots and 40% on unguarded shots, shot 43% on spot up threes, shot 37% on off the dribble jumpers (more than 80% threes) (excellent), pull up threat from anywhere

Creation - most offense came from pick and roll (graded excellent), 36% shooting on isos, 87% of at rim shots and 55% of threes were unassisted

Playmaking and feel - simple passer, height allows him to see more, success comes from high feel for the game and lack of mistakes

Areas for improvement:

Strength and athleticism - wiry, thin player, just 55% shooting at the rim, attempted only 1 dunk the entire year

Defense - lack of stls and blks, and athletic tools

Stats:

23.5 ppg 6.4 apg 3.1 rpg 0.8 spg 2.2 TO

48.4% FG 44% 3pt 80.9% FT on 6.1 FTA

60% TS% 57% EFG 58% at rim %

Measurements:

6'2" barefoot, 6'7" wingspan, 8'2.5" standing reach, 186 lbs

Scouting nuggets:

Strengths:

Pace and poise - played more like a veteran than a 19 year old guard, unshakeable, showed up in the biggest moments

Three level scoring - on 595 shots, 31% were at the rim 34% were mid-range 35% were from three. Best floater in the 2026 draft. Elite shooter in every way, 49% on catch and shoot shots, 60% on unguarded shots, 44% on guarded shots. 46% on spot up threes.

Creation and shot making - 75% of his at rim shots, 80% of his mid range, and 40% of this threes were unassisted, pick and roll was Acuff's most used play type, shot 44% on isos

Passing and playmaking - can make every read out of the pick and roll, elite lob passer

Areas for improvement:

Defense - lack of physical tools, defensive plays/instincts (stls and blks), and effort level. If you can't improve the physical tools and instincts, can effort level be improved?

Shot profile and selection - using floater, tough shot, and mid range game rather than more rim attacking, is going to floater instead of attacking rim settling?

So for all that has been said about small guys, here's how the actual combine measurements came in as:

Darius Acuff - 6'2" barefoot, 6'7" wingspan, 8'2.5" standing reach

Kingston Flemings - 6'2.5" barefoot, 6'3.5" wingspan, 8'2.5" standing reach

Mikel brown jr - 6'3.5" barefoot, 6'7.5" wingspan, 8'4.5" standing reach

For reference here is the measurements of some older players:

Deron Williams - 6'1.75" barefoot, 6'6.25" wingspan, 8'2" standing reach

Jalen brunson - 6'1" barefoot, 6'4" wingspan, 8'0" standing reach

De'aaron fox - 6'2" barefoot, 6'6.5" you wingspan, 8'4" standing reach

Kyrie Irving - 6'1.75" barefoot, 6'4" wingspan, 8'3" standing reach

Tyrese maxey - 6'1.5" barefoot, 6'6" wingspan, 8'3.5" standing reach

So turns out for all this talk of small guards, Darius Acuff is bigger than Deron Williams. So if Deron was in the draft now, would we say he's too small to take?

And apparently, Acuff and Flemings are practically the same size, with a 0.5 inch height difference, but a large wingspan difference in Acuff's favor

We booked the flight with ANA for CTS from Haneda with the 1.5 hr connecting time and arrives at 23:05 and we're having some regrets now researching all the logistical hassles we're gonna have to go through.

Is there any chance the arrivals from 23:05 can still make the last train out of CTS? Or is the only option really to spend a night in Chitose?

Problem is places to stay in Chitose don't seem all that much cheaper than hotels in sapporo, maybe just cheaper by a couple hundred yen

For all intents and purposes, the nets can only look at a max of 5 guys in this draft: Acuff, Wagler, Flemings, Burries and Brown. The top 4, we already know who is going top 4 so there's no point thinking or considering about them, they don't exist for the purposes of the nets draft. That's it, that's the 5.

Now for the clippers, it is overwhelmingly likely to me that they're gonna go wagler, that is the most obvious best fitting pick for them. So I hesitate to put much thought into him when I know most likely he will not be there. The only other possible pick for them is if somehow burries knocks their socks off in workouts. But I don't think that's likely.

Burries to me is a good player, but I don't think it's sensible for the nets to consider him, the only way you would consider him is if you are absolutely convinced that Traore is the nets PG of the future. I don't think we've seen enough from Traore to think that it's an issue to take another primary point guard.

So I think the nets draft boils down to three guys: Darius Acuff, Kingston Flemings, and Mikel Brown

Darius Acuff - 23.5 ppg 6.4 apg 3.1 rpg 0.8 spg 48.4% FG 44% 3pt 80.9% FT on 6.1 FTA, 2.2 TO

Kingston Flemings - 16.1 ppg 5.2 apg 4.1 rpg 1.5 spg 47.6% FG 38.7% 3pt 84.5% FT on 3.5 FTA, 1.8 TO

Mikel Brown - 18.2 ppg 4.7 apg 3.3 rpg 1.2 spg 41% FG 34.4% 3pt 84.4% FT on 5.8 FTA, 3.1 TO

I think it's overwhelming clear that Acuff is the best offensive player of the bunch, and it's not even close. He is the best offensive player and playmaker. Flemings is the best defensive player obviously. While Mikel brown is based largely on potential, but he is neither good defensively nor as solid offensively.

Hello! We will be in Hokkaido this July and I'd like some tips if my idea thus far makes sense

We will have 5 full days to work with, and my thinking right now is to spend 2 days in Sapporo, book a day trip tour on klook for Furano, and I'm thinking about spending a day in Jozankei, spending a night there, and then going to Otaru from Jozankei for a day trip, before going back to Sapporo at the end of the day.

So something like - day 1 Sapporo, day 2 furano day trip, day 3 jozankei overnight, day 4 otaru day trip, day 5 Sapporo

My main questions would be, without a car, how hard would it be to travel to jozankei and get around it?

Is there enough to do in Jozankei during the summer for it to be worth going to? Because the onsen towns are primarily autumn or winter destinations, right? We'd primarily be interested in soaking our feet in a foot bath, doing some fruit picking, and during our overnight experiencing an onsen.

Would it be hard to get from otaru from jozankei?

Hello! We will be in Hokkaido this coming July!

I've previously been to Hokkaido in summer before almost a decade ago, it will be my wife's first time in Hokkaido though. So i think furano is a must go, and my debate now is of course should I do furano as a day trip or should we overnight one night in furano.

Previously when I went we did one night in furano, but I'm wondering with the Lavender Express specifically, arriving in furano at 9:40 and then leaving furano at 4pm, if it's worth it to just do it as a day trip rather than doing overnight.

Has anyone done this recently to say if it's worth doing it just as a day trip?

We will have 5 full days total, so one day will be for Otaru, one day at least will be for Furano, so we will have 2 or 3 more days to fill up. I'm thinking if we do furano as just one day, we could consider going also to Jozankei as another day trip.