Arkansas Professional Athletes

No Arkansas alum had a stranger opening week in the NBA than Darius Acuff Jr. — and no one had a better story to tell by the end of it.

The Kings rookie opened his professional career against the Clippers on Wednesday with one of the rougher debuts in recent memory: 12 points on just under 21 percent shooting, a minus-23 plus/minus, and Sacramento buried in a 121-96 blowout. By Friday night's home opener against Portland, it looked like more of the same at halftime — Acuff was 3-of-10 from the field and 0-of-5 from three. Then something clicked.

He finished with a game-high 33 points in 36 minutes, the tenth-highest single-game scoring total by a Kings rookie in franchise history, per Heavy Sports. Kings veterans made a point of showing him love afterward. The context makes it better: Acuff had been giving Damian Lillard flowers all week in the press, calling out similarities in their games ahead of the matchup, and then went out and outscored him. The Kings still lost 128-120 — Domantas Sabonis reportedly took a subtle jab at the rookie after the loss — but Acuff's bounce-back landed as one of the week's better NBA stories. Sports Illustrated confirmed he made NBA history through his first two games, though the specific record wasn't detailed in the available reporting.

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Jaylin Williams Making Noise in OKC

While Acuff was the headliner, Arkansas big man Jaylin Williams had an eventful opening stretch with the Thunder. On Wednesday's season opener against San Antonio, Williams found himself at the center of a physical confrontation with Victor Wembanyama — sparked after De'Aaron Fox threw Chet Holmgren to the floor. Jalen Williams, his teammate and no relation, offered to cover the fine for all three Thunder players who picked up technicals.

Williams settled in as the week progressed. By Friday against Denver, he posted 3 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, and a team-best plus-13 in just 15 minutes off the bench as OKC rolled to a 96-84 win. Sports Illustrated noted he's already quietly making an early impact as the Thunder's backup big.

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Elsewhere Around the League

Jordan Walsh had a strong defensive showing for the Celtics in their 107-103 win over the Knicks on Friday, drawing explicit praise from head coach Joe Mazzulla alongside Jayson Tatum. The 20 minutes of run capped a two-game stretch that's already drawing outside attention — a Bleacher Report column floated Walsh as a potential trade target for Indiana, ranking him third on the Pacers' wish list.

Anthony Black remained sidelined for Orlando to open the season with a right ankle sprain, though he was upgraded to questionable ahead of the Magic's matchup with the Knicks — an encouraging sign for a team navigating an early stretch without him.

Bobby Portis showed up in back-to-back Heat games, putting together a quietly useful week: 13 points, 8 rebounds, and a plus-7 in 26 minutes against Charlotte, followed by 11 points and 8 boards in a loss to Detroit. Isaiah Joe had 12 points in 18 minutes for the Pistons in that same game on Saturday, and put up 8 against Boston on Tuesday.

Adou Thiero didn't suit up at all — the Lakers announced he'd miss their season opener against Golden State due to injury.

Arkansas alumni are scattered across the NBA landscape this preseason — and none of them are having a quiet October.

Anthony Black's Future Is the League's Most Interesting Contract Story

The most compelling Razorback narrative belongs to Anthony Black, and it's complicated. The Magic point guard is heading into the 2026-27 season without a contract extension, and the reasons are increasingly clear: Orlando is already financially committed to Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, Desmond Bane, and Jalen Suggs, leaving little room to reward a rising star who may have outplayed his rookie deal.

Reports from Marc Stein indicate a Black extension is unlikely in Orlando — and trade rumors are already circulating with real teeth. The Lakers have been identified as a potential landing spot, with Black's next deal projected around $110 million. The Warriors have also surfaced in trade speculation, with one scenario placing Black alongside Stephen Curry. A separate report notes that Golden State's decision to extend Brandin Podziemski could directly accelerate Orlando's push to move Black.

Sports Illustrated has made the case that Black should hold out entirely and bet on himself — a compelling argument given the market he could command as a two-way guard coming off a career year. Black did not play in the Magic's preseason game against the Heat, adding an injury update to the swirl of contract and trade chatter. He remains one to watch as the regular season approaches.

Oweh's Season Is Over Before It Began

The cruelest story of the week comes out of Oklahoma City. Otega Oweh, who arrived in Thunder territory this offseason and appeared poised for a meaningful role, tore his Achilles in a preseason overtime game against the Indiana Pacers at Paycom Center. He went down and needed assistance from the court — notably helped by Jaylin Williams and Isaiah Hartenstein, with fellow Razorback alum Williams also on the floor for OKC. Oweh will miss the entire 2026-27 season. For a player still establishing himself at the NBA level, it's a devastating blow.

Isaiah Joe Closes a Chapter in OKC

The Thunder didn't just lose Oweh to injury — they also dealt Isaiah Joe to the Detroit Pistons in a move driven by Oklahoma City's proximity to the second apron. Detroit sent back a pair of second-round picks in what amounts to a salary dump for a cap-conscious OKC front office. Joe, a 3-point specialist who spent four seasons with the Thunder organization, reacted publicly to the move, expressing mixed emotions about leaving a program he'd grown with. In Detroit, he joins a Pistons team fresh off a playoff upset of the Magic and hungry to build on that momentum.

Jordan Walsh Earns a Starting Spot in Boston

On the other end of the spectrum, Jordan Walsh is having the best preseason of his young career. The fourth-year forward has started all three of Boston's preseason games — lining up alongside Jayson Tatum, Paul George, Derrick White, and Mitchell Robinson in a loaded Celtics starting five. Coach Joe Mazzulla explained Walsh's role in straightforward terms: he sets the defensive tone, guards the opponent's best perimeter player, and doesn't need to do much offensively to make an impact. After the Celtics' 114-93 win over Charlotte, Walsh's case for a regular-season starting role looks harder to argue against.

It's a week that captures the full range of the NBA experience — a franchise star in contract limbo, a promising wing's season erased by injury, a veteran sharpshooter packing his bags, and a Fayetteville product quietly earning his flowers in Boston.

Arkansas alumni have never been strangers to the NBA, but this preseason, it's Adou Thiero making the loudest noise — literally shaking the rim in Southern California and forcing the Lakers' front office to take notice.

The Dunk Heard Round the Preseason

The former Razorback forward delivered the highlight of the Lakers' preseason when he threw down a jaw-dropping lefty throwdown against the Golden State Warriors — a slam that ClutchPoints called a full "Showtime" moment. The play brought the crowd to its feet, but the aftermath wasn't all celebration. Thiero landed awkwardly after the dunk, sparking immediate injury concern. The good news: the 22-year-old provided a positive update, addressing the moment candidly and confirming he came through without serious damage. The Lakers exhaled.

A Starting Role Within Reach

That dunk wasn't just a highlight — it was a statement. According to Heavy Sports, Thiero has been "drastically improving" his case for a starting spot on a Lakers roster that, heading into 2026-27, has no shortage of bodies but a clear need for reliable wings. His trajectory hasn't gone unnoticed at the coaching level, either. Head coach JJ Redick has sent a clear message about Thiero's future with the franchise, signaling that the third-year pro isn't just fighting for a roster spot — he's fighting for a meaningful role.

Thiero himself acknowledged a "great opportunity" in front of him this preseason, per Yahoo Sports. After an injury-marred rookie season limited his development, the Arkansas product appears healthy, hungry, and considerably more polished. The LA Times noted that Thiero's dunk was one of the few genuine bright spots in a 124-98 preseason loss to Golden State — a sign of how much the Lakers are leaning on his upside even when the team as a whole stumbles.

The Rest of the Razorbacks

Thiero is far from the only Arkansas alum with something to prove this fall. Fellow Razorback and Lakers teammate Nick Smith Jr. is also navigating a crowded backcourt situation in Los Angeles, while Jordan Walsh enters a new chapter with the Celtics. Jaylin Williams continues to develop as a frontcourt piece for the Thunder, and Daniel Gafford — one of the most accomplished bigs to come out of Fayetteville — anchors the Mavericks' interior.

One Razorback appearing in trade speculation is Moses Moody. A Heavy Sports trade pitch floated the idea of packaging Moody, Kristaps Porzingis, Brandin Podziemski, and a future first-round pick to the Bulls in exchange for a $44 million All-Star to pair with Stephen Curry. Whether that gains traction remains to be seen, but it speaks to Moody's perceived trade value heading into the season.

Bottom Line

The opening week of NBA preseason has been Adou Thiero's coming-out party. If his health holds and the momentum carries, the former Razorback could carve out exactly the expanded role he's been chasing since arriving in Los Angeles. Fayetteville will be watching closely.