NEED TO KNOW
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Darius Acuff Jr. was born and raised in Detroit by his parents, Darius Acuff Sr. and Dureese Owens
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The Arkansas basketball player has credited his dad, who also played the sport, for teaching him “everything” he knows
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Darius Jr. wears the same jersey number as his dad
Darius Acuff Jr. has basketball in his blood.
The Arkansas Razorbacks point guard, who is competing in March Madness 2026, was born and raised in Detroit by his parents, dad Darius Acuff Sr., and mom, Dureese Owens. Darius Jr. pursued basketball from a young age with encouragement from both of his parents, who have their own history with the sport.
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Darius Sr. played basketball for Eastern Kentucky in the late 1990s, and Darius Jr. has credited his dad for instilling the love of the sport in him. Meanwhile, Darius Sr. has also spoken about how he first realized his son was a standout athlete.
When the family saw that Darius Jr. could potentially have a professional basketball career, they moved to Florida, so he could compete at the prestigious IMG Sports Academy. In July 2024, Darius Jr. committed to play basketball at the University of Arkansas, and he had the support of his parents by his side.
“Family means everything — that comes first,” Darius Jr. said in a March 2026 interview with Swish Cultures. “[I’m] always keeping them around. It helps me keep going in basketball, but also off the court in life. They inspire me every day, just seeing them work as hard as they can it makes me want to go hard every day.”
Here’s everything to know about Darius Acuff Jr.’s parents, Darius Acuff Sr. and Dureese Owens.
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They raised him in Detroit before moving to Florida for basketball
Darius Acuff Jr. and his family in August 2024.
Credit: Darius Acuff Jr./Instagram
Darius Sr. and Dureese raised Darius Jr. and his sister, Daona Todd, in Detroit, according to his Razorbacks bio.
While there, Darius Jr. attended and played basketball at Cass Technical High School for his freshman and sophomore years. He helped lead the school to a state title his second year, which skyrocketed his high school basketball career.
Ahead of his junior year, Darius Jr.’s family moved him from Detroit to Bradenton, Fla., where he could play basketball more competitively at IMG Academy.
”We knew everything about the Detroit basketball culture, which is tough, but it was kind of down,” Darius Sr. explained to HawgBeat in March 2025. “We were just coming up with a plan to get in a better environment out of the city that can elevate his game even more. Because he was the best player in the state as a 10th-grader, and Michigan is supposed to be one of the basketball Meccas. So me, being a realist, we got to get him somewhere where they’re going to push him even more.”
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Former professional basketball player, Rashad Phillips —who is also Darius Jr.’s “uncle” and manager — credited his parents for acknowledging their son’s skill and giving him the best opportunity possible.
”They knew that their kid was special, and he was on a different path than the average great high school player,” Phillips told the outlet. “He was more than just a great high school player, and his parents knew that. So we have to put him on a bigger path, a stronger path because he is special.”
Members of both Darius Sr. and Dureese’s families played basketball
Darius Acuff Jr. and his family in August 2024.
Credit: Darius Acuff Jr./Instagram
Before Darius Jr. picked up a basketball, he came from a long line of basketball players, including his dad, Darius Sr.
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“My whole family played basketball — my mom’s side, my dads side,” Darius Jr. told Swish Cultures. “We got a family full of hoopers … It don’t even start with me, it goes way way back before me.”
Darius Sr. also grew up in Detroit and was considered one of the best point guards in the city in the late 1990s, according to Best of Arkansas Sports. He went on to play college basketball for Eastern Kentucky and averaged 12.3 points and 4.4 assists per game, per HawgBeat.
“He was a killer on the court,” Darius Jr. told Swish Cultures. “Everybody, they tell me every day, ‘He’s a dog! He’s going to lock you up!’ Super point guard.”
Meanwhile, Darius Sr.’s childhood best friend Phillips, whom Darius Jr. refers to as his “uncle,” also played in college and went on to create a Detroit basketball program, where he quickly recognized his “nephew’s” skillset.
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“This dude is 10 years old and he’s out playing 13-year-olds,” Phillips recalled to Best of Arkansas Sports. “He’s faster than them and he’s smarter than them and they can’t stop him. And I’m like, ‘Man, this dude is unreal.’ “
Darius Sr. taught his son “everything” about basketball
Darius Acuff Jr. #5 of the Arkansas Razorbacks dribbles the ball while being guarded by Cam’Ron Fletcher #11 of the High Point Panthers during the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament on March 21, 2026 in Portland, Oregon.
Credit: Soobum Im/Getty
Darius Jr. credits his dad for teaching him “everything” he knows about the sport.
“He taught me everything that I do on the court,” he said to Swish Cultures. “From dribbling, shooting, all of it, passing, he taught me everything. He coached me when I was was little, so everything I learned is from him. He’s seen it all.”
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Darius Jr. added that it was always “important” to listen to his dad, and said that he has continued to “listen to him, no matter what.”
Meanwhile, Darius Sr. also remembered coaching his son and teaching him how to analyze both his performance and the performance of former basketball players on film when he was in grade school.
“I actually taught him how to do film, since fourth grade,” Darius Sr. told HawgBeat. “He was probably the only fourth, fifth, sixth-grader that was actually doing real things. That was a big part of his development when it comes to, Allen Iverson, Stephon Marbury, he studied them to a T.”
Phillips also acknowledged that Darius Sr. “sharpened his son’s mind before he even touched the court.”
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Darius Jr. wears the same jersey number as his dad
Darius Acuff Jr. #5 of the Arkansas Razorbacks during the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament on March 19, 2026 in Portland, Oregon.
Credit: C. Morgan Engel/NCAA Photos via Getty
When it came to picking out his jersey number, Darius Jr. knew that he would follow in his dad’s footsteps and choose his number: five.
“He wore five, too, so that’s why I wear it,” Darius Jr. explained on Swish Cultures. “So everything we do is alike. He was a dog, too, he was a killer.”
Read the original article on People