Top-ranked '25 PG Darius Acuff schedules Kentucky visit for Big Blue Madness

One of the country’s most talented point guards — regardless of class — is coming to Lexington for the Wildcats’ biggest preseason event of the year.

According to On3’s Joe Tipton, five-star point guard Darius Acuff will take an official visit to Kentucky men’s basketball’s Big Blue Madness, which is scheduled for the weekend of October 14. Now suiting up for high school powerhouse IMG Academy in Florida, the 6-foot-2 Detroit, MI native is considered the No. 9 overall prospect and top-ranked point guard in the class of 2025 by the On3 Industry Ranking. Fellow five-star ’25 prospect Caleb Wilson also expects to visit UK on October 14, although it will be an unofficial.

Acuff was one of the first rising juniors to receive an offer from Kentucky head coach John Calipari. That scholarship opportunity even came before Acuff was considered one of the top high school recruits in the nation.

2025’s No. 1 ranked PG, Darius Acuff, tells me he will take an official visit to Kentucky on October 14th for Big Blue Madness.

The Detroit native is planning to schedule a visit to Michigan.

Recently announced he would be transferring to IMG Academy for the upcoming season.… pic.twitter.com/ooJQDOBOa7

— Joe Tipton (@TiptonEdits) August 14, 2023

Acuff announced himself as a Blue Blood-level prospect during the spring and summer. Playing up a year on the Nike EYBL circuit for The Family, he was a top-five scorer among all 17U participants. He averaged 20.1 points per game on 43.6% shooting, 35.9% from three, and 82.4% at the line while adding 3.9 rebounds and 3.8 assists in 28.8 minutes per contest.

Since March, Acuff has earned offers from the likes of UK, Michigan, Nebraska, Kansas, Pittsburgh, Michigan State, Indiana, Providence, Ohio State, Missouri, Houston, St. John’s, LSU, Alabama, and a few others. Tipton reports that a visit to Michigan is also in the works and KSR has previously reported that Indiana, Houston, and Michigan State will also receive visits down the road.

But Kentucky is clearly among the early leaders in Acuff’s recruitment.

“It’s just a family,” he told KSR in July. “They build a great relationship with you and great guards come from there. It’s a great school. Coach Chin (Coleman) is telling me to just keep going, get better, stay in the gym, and lead your team.”

Like most up-and-coming guards, he likes Calipari’s track record with the best of the best at his position, rattling off some of the bigger names he has enjoyed watching in Lexington over the years.

“A lot of players. John Wall, Shai (Gilgeous-Alexander), TyTy (Washington),” Acuff said. “I’ve been watching for years now, so there are a lot to name. De’Aaron Fox and Malik Monk. All of them.” 

A decision is still far away for Acuff, but locking in Kentucky as the first official of his junior season is certainly a significant development.