During the Golden State Warriors’ preseason matchup against the Sacramento Kings on Saturday, cameras caught Draymond Green animatedly talking to Kings rookie guard Darius Acuff Jr.
Now, Green has explained why he pulled the 19-year-old aside, and his advice came with a warning about what can happen when a young player holds the ball for too long.
Draymond Green Warns Darius Acuff Jr. About Teammates ‘Plotting Against’ Him
Green opened up about the interaction on Tuesday’s episode of “The Draymond Green Show,” revealing that his conversation with Acuff was prompted by a possession in which the rookie controlled the ball from start to finish before drawing a foul.
“I saw something in that game that he had the ball the entire possession,” Green explained. “And ultimately down the stretch, late in the possession, he ended up getting fouled at the rim.”
For Green, the problem was not that Acuff attacked the basket or drew contact, but that none of his teammates touched the ball during the possession.
The Warriors veteran decided to use the moment to give the rookie a lesson about keeping his teammates involved, particularly on a Sacramento team trying to find its footing after finishing second-to-last in the Western Conference last season.
“My advice to him was just, ‘Hey man, … who else touched the ball that possession?'” Green recalled. “He’s like, ‘Nobody,’ and I was like, ‘Don’t have many of those.'”
Green then explained why he believes that habit could create problems for Acuff in Sacramento. He even described how resentment could develop inside a locker room if teammates believe a rookie is receiving too much freedom.
“You can end up having a bunch of those with the Sacramento Kings this year, and a few things can happen,” Green warned.
“You can get guys start plotting against you, guys that don’t really wanna see you do well, guys that start bickering on the side to other guys. … You can get guys that get upset like, ‘Ahh, man, they wanna give this rookie this, they wanna do that, [expletive] that!'”
Green and Acuff also share a connection beyond the NBA. Both are from Michigan and were part of The Family, a Detroit-based AAU basketball program. That shared background may have made the four-time NBA champion more inclined to offer advice to the young guard.
Acuff himself addressed the exchange afterward, making clear he took the advice to heart rather than brushing it off.
“He was telling me read the game a little more. … He’s playing against, but he’s also watching the game, trying to teach me. I was listening … I agreed with him,” Acuff said.
Green’s warning becomes particularly interesting when considering the type of player Acuff is.
The 19-year-old was selected No. 7 by Sacramento in the 2026 NBA Draft after starring at Arkansas. At 6-foot-2, he is a score-first point guard who can create his own shot from virtually anywhere on the floor.
That scoring instinct is part of what makes Acuff such an intriguing player. Some scouts have also pointed to his tendency to over-dribble at times, which can disrupt an offense’s rhythm when teammates are left standing around waiting for the ball. It’s a concern that directly echoes what Green was getting at.
Sacramento could also need Acuff to contribute early. The Kings are navigating preseason injury concerns, including an injury to fellow young player Maxime Raynaud, increasing the attention on their developing talent.
Acuff showed what he could do in the 111-106 loss to Golden State, finishing with 25 points, 4 rebounds, and 8 assists in 27 minutes. He shot 8-for-15 from the field, made 4-of-6 3-point attempts, and converted all 5 free throws.
The performance showed real scoring and playmaking potential. Green’s advice was about making sure that potential helps the whole team, not just Acuff.
For Acuff, the lesson in being a team player has arrived before his rookie season has even begun. The 2026 SEC Player of the Year opens his rookie campaign against the Los Angeles Clippers on Oct. 21.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.