The landscape of college basketball has shifted and Darius Acuff Jr. is at the center of it all. The SEC Freshman & Player of the year signed a sneaker/NIL deal with Reebok back in May 2025.
Before even playing a college basketball game, the Arkansas Razorbacks freshman secured a groundbreaking sneaker deal with Reebok, marking one of the most significant NIL endorsements in the sport’s history. By signing Acuff, Reebok made a bold statement about returning back to basketball relevancy.
With legends like Shaquille O’Neal and Allen Iverson leading the brand’s basketball division, Acuff represents the future. The partnership is bridging the next generation, linking iconic past figures with the new wave of stars.
In the NIL era, college athletes can now profit from their name, image, and likeness. Acuff Jr. has reached a new level of stardom that very few have by securing a signature shoe deal this early in his career. Acuff Jr. became the first NCAA men’s athlete to receive a major U.S. brand deal while still in college.
With his NIL valuation already at $1.1 million, Acuff is not just a rising star he is a business asset. According to ESPN’s draft analyst, Jeremy Woo, Acuff is ranked the number 8 player on Woo’s NBA draft board.
During his astonishing freshman campaign, Acuff led Arkansas to an SEC championship, was the SEC Player of the Year, and became the first player to lead the conference in points and assists per game since Pete Maravich did it in 1969-70.
As for Reebok, Acuff is the first men’s basketball player to have a signature shoe since John Wall. Marking a new chapter in the brand’s rebuild.
