Acuff, Sharp lead Kings past Clippers in Las Vegas summer league opener

Updated: Jul 10, 2026, 03:35 am

In a matchup of top-10 draft picks, Darius Acuff Jr. got the better of Keaton Wagler as the Sacramento Kings held off the LA Clippers 91-85 in a summer league game Thursday at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.

The Kings had five players score in double figures, including Acuff, the No. 7 pick of the 2026 draft, who had a game-high seven assists to go with his 19 points. Emanual Sharp, a second-round pick, was a force on both ends, scoring a game-high 21 points and adding four steals. Dylan Cardwell finished with 15 points and nine rebounds. Nique Clifford contributed 13 points, and Jonathan Mogbo had 12.

Cam Christie led the way for the Clippers with 15 points and eight rebounds. Second-round pick Baba Miller (No. 36) had 12 points. Nick Martinelli (No. 55) and Sean Pedulla each scored 11, and Kobe Sanders (No. 50) added 10.

Wagler, the No. 5 selection, struggled against a tough Sacramento defense, finishing with seven points on 1-of-7 shooting in his summer league debut. The Kings' other first-round pick, Alex Karaban (No. 29), also had a quiet night, going scoreless on 0-for-6 shooting.

Sacramento built a 14-point lead, its largest of the game, in the third quarter. The Clippers mounted a late charge in the fourth, but the Kings held on for the victory.

Up next: The Kings face the Washington Wizards at 8 p.m. ET Sunday. The Clippers will then take on the Utah Jazz at 10.

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