Draymond GreenForward, Golden State Warriors

Darius Acuff Jr. Shares Biggest NBA Draft Workout Takeaways: ‘You Gotta Be in Shape’

8 Jun 2026 · 1 min

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In a brief interview, Draymond Green asks draft prospect Darius Acuff Jr. about his experiences during NBA draft workouts. Acuff emphasizes the critical importance of being in top physical shape, noting that the conditioning level is far higher than in college. He describes the workout environment as intense and solitary, with one‑on‑one drills that left him exhausted. Beyond physical demands, Acuff highlights the value of absorbing knowledge from NBA coaches, staff, and front office personnel, stating that asking questions and observing how the league operates have been the most valuable aspects of the process. He also mentions practical adjustments like increasing his water intake to cope with the heightened physical load.

What have you learned in getting into these workouts? What have you picked up so far in just being in this environment, being around NBA coaches, you know, seeing different general managers and different things? What would you say has been the biggest takeaway from your draft workout so far?
I ain't gonna lie, you gotta be in shape. You gotta be in shape. You gotta be in shape, man. That's like, the first workout was crazy. I'm gassed. Like, I'm in there by myself. I'm doing one-on-ones. So it's a different type of environment. But just taking all the knowledge, you know, from the NBA staff, that's been the best part for me. I think in this whole process, you know, I've been learning how to ask more questions. You know, I'm not the type of guy to just go ask just to see how the game, you know, how the game goes. You know, we coming from college, we young, we freshmen, you wanna know how it goes. So I think the best part is the knowledge I received from each team and you know, just seeing how the NBA work.
The conditioning level has to be at a completely different place than it was before.
I've been drinking water more than I ever been.
That's hilarious.