Darius Acuff Reebok shoe deal: How Arkansas star made history with signature shoe agreement

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Darius Acuff emerged as one of the most electrifying players in college basketball early in his freshman season at Arkansas, positioning himself as one of the top prospects in a loaded NBA Draft.

Before Acuff even touches an NBA floor, he's locked into an unprecedented shoe deal.

Acuff agreed to a deal with Reebok as the shoe brand bets on the Razorbacks star's remarkable offensive talent turning him into a prominent NBA player.

Here's what you need to know about Acuff's deal with Reebok. 

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Darius Acuff Reebok deal

Rebook executive Jide Osifeso told ESPN after Arkansas' opening-weekend wins at the NCAA Tournament that Acuff had agreed to a signature shoe deal with the brand.

Acuff originally agreed to a sponsorship deal with Reebok in 2025 along with Tennessee's Nate Ament and other athletes, but he is the first to break through with a signature shoe as his star rises.

Acuff has been sensational on the offensive end for Arkansas, leading the SEC with 23.3 points and 6.5 assists per game. He scored a combined 60 points between Arkansas' first two NCAA Tournament games. 

While there are questions about his defense, Acuff projects as a top-10 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft at the very least. SN's latest mock draft pegs Acuff as the No. 5 pick to the Utah Jazz.

MORE: NBA scouting report for Darius Acuff

Darius Acuff Reebok shoe

Reebok hasn't revealed what Acuff's signature shoe will look like, but it will be named the "Acuff 1." No release date for the shoe has been revealed, but Acuff is set to remain in the headlines into the summer as the NBA Draft approaches.

How Darius Acuff made history with shoe deal

Acuff is the first male athlete to ever receive a signature shoe deal from a major brand. Such deals were impossible before 2021, when athletes were first allowed to profit off of their name, image and likeness.

Acuff is the first men's basketball player at any level to have a signature shoe deal with Reebok since John Wall, who also spent his lone collegiate season playing for John Calipari.

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Darius Acuff NIL

On3 estimates Acuff's NIL valuation as $1.1 million, but it's entirely possible he is making considerably more than that at Arkansas. The Razorbacks have plenty of resources, as was promised to Calipari when he took the job, and Acuff was a highly-touted recruit

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