Arkansas' Darius Acuff Jr. Signs Historic Reebok Signature Shoe Contract Amid 2026 March Madness

Arkansas guard Darius Acuff Jr. blazed the trail for college athletes this week by signing a signature shoe deal with Reebok.

Reebok's head of basketball, Jide Osifeso, informed ESPN's Shams Charania of the news, and Charania added that Acuff is the first men's NCAA athlete to ever land a signature shoe contract while still in college.

A freshman sensation under head coach John Calipari at Arkansas, Acuff helped lead the Razorbacks to the Sweet 16 of the 2026 NCAA tournament this past weekend.

A freshman from Detroit, Acuff has been among the best players in college basketball this season, averaging 23.3 points, 6.5 assists, 3.1 rebounds and 2.6 three-pointers made per game, while shooting 48.6 percent from the field and 44.6 percent from beyond the arc.

He was named a consensus All-American, SEC Rookie of the Year and SEC Player of the Year, and he is a semifinalist for the Naismith National College Player of the Year Award.

Acuff has elevated his play on the big stage as well, which is a big reason why the Razorbacks have advanced to the second week of the NCAA tournament.

High Point Panthers-Arkansas Razorbacks Highlights

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He recorded 30 points and 11 assists in Arkansas' SEC tournament final win over Vanderbilt before registering 24 points in a first-round NCAA tourney win over Hawai'i and 36 points in the second round against High Point.

Assuming he enters the 2026 NBA draft once Arkansas' season is over, Acuff is a surefire lottery pick and a potential top-five selection.

In his latest 2026 NBA mock draft, Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman projected Acuff to go fifth overall to the Utah Jazz behind only AJ Dybantsa, Cameron Boozer, Darryn Peterson and Caleb Wilson.

Acuff's stock will only continue to rise if that proves to be the case, making him a huge addition to Reebok's roster of athletes.