Arkansas freshman Darius Acuff Jr. has been named to the 2026 Men’s National Ballot for the John R. Wooden Award, which is presented by Principal and administered by The Los Angeles Athletic Club.
The ballot includes 15 student-athletes selected by the Wooden Award National Advisory Board. These athletes are now candidates for both the Wooden Award All-America Team and the Wooden Award Trophy, which honors the most outstanding college basketball player in the United States.
Voting for this year’s award will open on March 16 at 6:00 am Eastern Time and close on March 28 at 11:59 pm Eastern Time. Voters will consider each candidate’s full season performance, including games in the opening rounds of the NCAA Tournament, to determine who stands out among college basketball players.
Acuff Jr. has achieved several notable milestones this season:
– He is seeking to join Pete Maravich as one of only two players to lead the SEC in both scoring and assists during a single season.
– He is currently the only player in NCAA basketball averaging at least 20 points (22.2) and six assists (6.4) per game.
– He also stands alone as the only player in NCAA history with averages of at least 20 points, five assists, a three-point shooting percentage above 40%, and an assist-to-turnover ratio greater than three in a season, according to OptaSTATS.
– Acuff Jr. is also unique among Razorbacks for recording five double-doubles with points and assists in one season.
– Additionally, he is the only Arkansas player to score at least 600 points (666) and have more than 150 assists (193) within a single season.
The announcement of both Men’s and Women’s All-America Teams, along with Top Five finalists for each trophy, will take place on April 4 during ESPN’s coverage of the Men’s Final Four.
The fiftieth anniversary celebration of the Wooden Award will conclude on April 10 at The Los Angeles Athletic Club. The winner will be announced live at 9:00 PM EST on ESPNU. This event will also honor Matt Painter of Purdue as recipient of the Legends of Coaching Award.
Other finalists for this year’s men’s award include Christian Anderson (Texas Tech), Cameron Boozer (Duke), AJ Dybansta (BYU), Jeremy Fears (Michigan State), Kingston Flemings (Houston), Thomas Haugh (Florida), Graham Ike (Gonzaga), Joshua Jefferson (Iowa State), Yaxel Lendeborg (Michigan), Labaron Philon Jr. (Alabama), Braden Smith (Purdue), JT Toppin (Texas Tech), Keaton Wagler (Illinois), and Caleb Wilson (North Carolina).
For further updates about Arkansas Men’s Basketball, information can be found through their official social media channels.
