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The Utah Jazz selected former Kansas star freshman Darryn Peterson with the No. 2 overall pick in Tuesday's NBA draft.
One of the most talented recruits in Kansas' history, according to longtime head coach Bill Self, Peterson lived up to the considerable hype in his lone collegiate season as a dominant three-level scorer. He led the Jayhawks with 20.2 points per contest and was one of just five freshmen last year to post a true-shooting percentage of at least 57% while attempting 14 or more shots per game.
The biggest concern surrounding Peterson was a mysterious cramping issue that forced him to miss 11 games and sometimes exit contests prematurely. He revealed during the NCAA Tournament that he had been hospitalized in the preseason because of intense full-body cramping. However, the 19-year-old said in May that he determined that creatine, a popular supplement for building muscle mass, was behind the problem and that he hadn't had a cramping incident since.
Bio
Position: SG
School: Kansas
Height: 6-foot-5
Weight: 198.8 lbs
Year: Freshman
Wingspan: 6-foot-10
Max vertical: 37.5 inches
2025-26 stats at Kansas:
| GP | PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3PT% | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 | 20.2 | 4.2 | 1.6 | 43.8 | 38.2 | 82.6 |
A naturally gifted shooter with simple but quick mechanics, Peterson forces defenders to respect his outside shooting but is just as much of a threat when he puts the ball on the floor. While he's a fantastic finisher at the rim, his foresight to find - or create himself - an open angle in the paint is where he sets himself apart offensively as a tough assignment.
