"Not Going To Have A Good Outcome": Mike Bibby Raises Concerns About Darius Acuff Jr.'s Shooting Freedom Amid Sacramento Kings' Winless Start

Mike Bibby raises concerns about Darius Acuff Jr.’s shooting freedom in Sacramento© Instagram/dariusacuff5

Mike Bibby sees trouble coming in Sacramento. The former Kings guard believes Darius Acuff Jr.'s heavy shot volume could wear down the locker room if the losses keep stacking up. The Kings are 0-6, the only winless team in the NBA, and the rookie is taking a league-high 24.0 shots a game. Bibby pointed to a recent night when Domantas Sabonis took only five. Acuff is putting up historic numbers, but the standings have not moved. Bibby doesn't think the quiet will last.

Bibby Questions Darius Acuff Jr.'s Shooting Freedom In Sacramento

Bibby made his case on the Straight Game Podcast, and he started with the box score from Memphis. Acuff scored a career-high 38 points on 25 shot attempts in the 31-point loss. Sabonis finished with 11 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists on 3-5 shooting.

“Sabonis might've had like four shots last game,” Bibby said. “... With Sabonis, he's best when the ball's in his hands. When he's making plays for other guys and doing that point guard stuff.”

His concern is how long veteran players will go along with it. “You put those guys to the side, let's see how long this is gonna take until everybody's disgruntled,” Bibby said.

The 19-year-old guard has the numbers to argue back. Acuff is averaging 26.3 points, 6.3 assists and 3.7 rebounds through six games, which tops all rookies in scoring and assists. His 73 field goal attempts through three games were the most by any player in his first three career games in the past 50 years. Efficiency is the soft spot. He is shooting 39.6% from the field, and the Kings have not turned his scoring into a win.

Kings Search For Answers As Acuff's Scoring Keeps Climbing

The 6-foot-2 guard has coach Doug Christie's full trust to shoot, and he has used it. Acuff is the first player since Shaquille O'Neal in 1992 to score at least 150 points in his first six games, finishing with 158. Last week he averaged 30.3 points, eight assists and 4.7 rebounds while hitting 46.9% from three in three games. The league nominated him for Western Conference Player of the Week, making him the first rookie on the ballot. Stephen Curry, Luka Dončić and Cooper Flagg were nominated alongside him.

Sabonis is not stuck in the corner, either. He is averaging 7.3 assists, ninth in the league, and has chosen to run the offense as a facilitator. Earlier reports of him being unhappy playing next to the rookie were recently dismissed. Still, Bibby sees a clock ticking. “With losing on top of that, that's not gonna be a good look,” he said. “That's not gonna have a good outcome.”

Both sides have a point. Sacramento's offense would struggle to stay in games without Acuff's scoring, and his volume has not yet produced a victory. Sabonis is in his 11th season and wants to win now, while the franchise is building around its young guard.