Arkansas' star Darius Acuff Jr. just accomplished something that hasn't been done by an NCAA men's athlete appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
Arkansas is preparing for its Sweet 16 matchup against Arizona. Darius Acuff Jr. has been a major part of the success of Arkansas. Acuff has been setting March Madness records in the run so far.
Now, Acuff has set a new milestone, accomplishing something that has never been done by an NCAA men's athlete, according to Shams Charania of ESPN.
"Arkansas freshman star Darius Acuff Jr. has landed a signature shoe with Reebok, becoming the first NCAA men's athlete to receive one from a major U.S. brand while still in college, Reebok's head of basketball, Jide Osifeso, tells ESPN," Charania posted on X, formerly Twitter.
Division I athletes often receive free gear while playing for their schools, but do not have their own shoe deals on the men's side. Meanwhile, with new Name, Image, and Likeness rules, players are able to sign deals like this, but the company and player must navigate, sometimes conflicting, university-wide sponsorship agreements.
In this situation, Reebok has signed an NIL deal with Acuff before his official enrollment at Arkansas, although Arkansas is signed with Nike as a school.
Acuff is currently projected to be a lottery pick in the 2026 NBA Draft and was named the SEC Player of the Year in 2025-26. He also became the first player in the SEC to lead the conference in points and assists per game since Pete Maravich did it in 1969-70. Acuff also scored 30 points in the SEC Championship game, leading Arkansas to an SEC title.
So far in the tournament, he has scored 60 points, leading them to the Sweet 16. They will face Arizona on Thursday night.
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