Legendary streak reveals exactly who Mavericks must draft for Cooper Flagg

Dallas Mavericks fans may not want to hear it, but their focus should already be shifting entirely toward the NBA Draft. Dallas has dropped eight straight games and is now tied for the sixth-best lottery odds, putting them in position to land one of the top point guards in the class. That group includes none other than SEC Freshman and Player of the Year and John Calipari product, Darius Acuff Jr.

Calipari has a legendary history of producing NBA guards, and Acuff Jr. is on pace to be the next great guard to come out of his program.

Although it'll be almost impossible for the Mavericks to sniff the top four before the NBA Draft Lottery standings, landing a pick between five and eight would still be monumental in this highly touted draft class.

The 2026 NBA Draft’s top tier is clear

The top tier of the class appears set. Duke's Cameron Boozer, BYU's AJ Dybantsa, and Kansas' Darryn Peterson headline the group, with North Carolina's Caleb Wilson widely viewed as the consensus No. 4 prospect.

After that, things get murkier. Houston's Kingston Flemings is frequently projected at No. 5, but Arkansas' Acuff Jr., Louisville's Mikel Brown Jr., and Illinois' Keaton Wagler all remain realistic options in that range.

The Mavericks should have several intriguing options if they land the No. 5 pick. Flemings currently occupies that spot in most mock drafts, but Acuff Jr. may be the better fit, not just because of his production, but because of the track record his head coach has in developing elite NBA guards.

Darius Acuff Jr. is the perfect backcourt partner for Cooper Flagg

Acuff Jr. is simply the latest guard in Calipari’s long developmental pipeline to earn Freshman of the Year honors, joining names like Derrick Rose, John Wall, Malik Monk, and Reed Sheppard. The list of NBA stars developed under Calipari is even more impressive, featuring All-Star guards such as Devin Booker, Jamal Murray, De'Aaron Fox, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Tyler Herro, and Tyrese Maxey.

That’s elite company, and history suggests Acuff Jr. could follow a similar path after spending a year with Calipari. At worst, an NBA-caliber guard, and at best, a perennial All-Star.

Considering the Mavericks’ inconsistent guard play this season, pairing Cooper Flagg with another 19-year-old prospect could help solidify the franchise’s long-term future. Dallas still has Kyrie Irving, but at nearly 34 years old, he doesn’t align with Dallas' timeline. Instead, Irving could serve as either a valuable trade asset or a short-term veteran bridge.

Regardless of what happens with Irving, the Mavericks shouldn’t pass on the chance to draft a young point guard to grow alongside Flagg. Brown Jr., Flemings, and Wagler are all viable options, but Acuff Jr.’s pedigree may ultimately be too compelling to pass up.