The 2026 NBA Draft will be an important event for teams to build for their future. Here is the Darryn Peterson NBA Draft Profile.
Position: Guard
Size: 6-foot-4.5, 199 pounds
Class: Freshman
College: Kansas
2025-2026 stats: 20.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.4 steals, 0.6 blocks, 43.8% FG, 38.2% 3FG, 82.6% FT
Peterson was a five-star recruit in the class of 2025 who signed with Kansas out of California. He played one season at Kansas and battled through injuries. Peterson averaged 20.2 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game in his 24 games played. He shot 43.8 percent from the field, 38.2 percent from deep and 82.6 percent from the charity stripe. Peterson helped Kansas make the NCAA Tournament and win a game, but they lost in the second round.
Following the season, Peterson declared for the 2026 NBA Draft. He is currently projected to be a top three pick.
Peterson has the highest-scoring upside in the class. He has the ability to create shots for himself, as he can drive to the basket and finish at the rim, or step back and knock down jumpers, whether from mid-range or from 3-point range. Peterson can shoot off the catch and the dribble well. He was hampered by injuries and arguably could have shot better from the field had he not been bothered by them.
He is a good athlete for the position and has decent size to go with it. Peterson is 6-foot-4 and 199 pounds. He will need to add some muscle to his frame, but he won’t want to cut down on his movement abilities. Peterson has good acceleration and speed, which makes him tough to match up with, but also helps him on defense. He has good leaping ability as well. Athletically, he will be above average for the NBA level.
While he has the foot quickness to show some on-ball defensive potential, he really thrives with his off-ball defense. Peterson reads passing lanes and posted an impressive 1.4 steals per game at Kansas. He shows good help defense and has shown the knowledge of when to rotate and help his teammates.
The biggest thing that teams will need to check out is the injury history for Peterson. At Kansas, he played in just 24 games and left some others early. He had some cramping issues that will need to be investigated by NBA teams. Peterson also had some lower-body issues as well. Whether he could’ve played more at Kansas is a question, but making sure he is currently healthy and won’t have lingering issues is the most important.
Peterson will need to work on his shot selection for the next level. There are times when Peterson settles for contested shots from the perimeter instead of passing or trying to get to the basket. His injuries may have impacted his ability to get to the basket, but he has the potential to shoot better from the floor if he is healthy and takes better shots.
While he has moments where he can create for his teammates, he needs to work on making that a more consistent part of his game. He had a 1 to 1 assist to turnover ratio at the college level. Peterson will need to recognize when help defense is coming and get the ball to open teammates. He can operate the pick and roll solidly, but wasn’t asked to do it a lot at Kansas, so he will need reps to really be a better creator.
Projected Draft Range: Top 3 Pick
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