The NBA Combine is well underway and will be for a few more days as a slew of young, hopeful basketball stars show off their talents to all NBA teams in hopes of getting drafted. For Kansas freshman Darryn Peterson, he is trying to regain that No. 1 pick status.
After a rough freshman season, which dropped Peterson's stock due to injuries and a cramping problem, Peterson is showing that his lack of availability at times isn't something NBA teams need to worry about.
After having a solid day at the combine, especially when it came to shooting, Peterson made sure to tell not just the Wizards, who have the No. 1 pick, but every team exactly what he brings to the table.
"I feel like I'm the best," Peterson said. "Take a chance on me, I won't let you guys down."
“Take a chance on me, I won’t let you guys down.”
— Cap’n Cook 🏔️ (@JazzePinkman) May 13, 2026
MOUNTAIN BASKETBALL IS AWAITING YOUR ARRIVAL MR. PETERSON!!!!! pic.twitter.com/Iy9RBp7D3z
Darryn Peterson still has a lot of ground to make up to be taken No. 1 overall
Unfortunately for Darryn Peterson, his health issues with a hamstring injury and a cramping problem that now has an answer to it, ended up hurting his draft stock when other players, like BYU's AJ Dybantsa balled out during his freshman season.
The good news for Peterson is that, towards the end of the season, he was able to average 28 minutes per game in the final nine games, showing he can be counted on to be on the court. Peterson also was able to share that creatine was the reason behind his cramping issue, and medical tests at the Combine should help show that, and that he is healthy and ready to go.
The uphill climb back to the No. 1 overall pick isn't going to be an easy one for Peterson, especially with a team like the Washington Wizards with the top pick. The Wizards could use a big forward/wing like Dybantsa, and not as much a guard like Peterson.
That isn't going to stop Peterson from laying it all out on the court at the combine. At Kansas, Peterson averaged 20.2 points per game, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.6 assists. If he plans to be a guard at the NBA level, he will need to learn how to move the ball around more.
Granted, at Kansas, many times the game was put squarely on Peterson's shoulders to make the big plays himself, so the lower assist average could easily be due to that. The biggest concern from NBA scouts is his lesser ability to get to the basket and finish at the rim. That could be due to the injury problems, as he looks far less explosive in the paint than he did in college.
Peterson right now is slated to head out to Utah to join the Jazz as the No. 2 overall pick, but with a good enough performance at the combine, the No. 1 pick isn't completely out of reach.
Kansas fans can see where Peterson's career will continue by watching the NBA Draft on June 23, airing on ESPN.
Add us as a preferred source on Google