The 2026 NBA Draft is right around the corner and everyone is wondering how the top of the draft will shake out. There appears to be a consensus top four, with Darryn Peterson, AJ Dybantsa, Cam Boozer, and Caleb Wilson, but the order of those four is still up in the air. Jayhawk faithful, along with a ton of BYU fans, all believe Peterson should be taken first overall, but what if he isn’t?
Two former Kansas players have been drafted 1st overall in previous NBA drafts. The first being KU legend Danny Manning, who was selected with the top pick in the 1988 draft and the second being the current 12-year NBA veteran, Andrew Wiggins, who was drafted first in 2014. Additionally, Wilt Chamberlain, Joel Embiid, and Raef LaFrentz were all picked 3rd overall.
If Peterson is selected 2nd overall by the Utah Jazz on Thursday night, he would officially become the first Jayhawk ever picked with the 2nd selection in the draft. Remarkably wild for a program that has seen 89 different players drafted in their history and 13 players drafted within the first 7 picks.
If it were up to Washington Wizards legend John Wall, the streak of Jayhawks not being taken 2nd overall would continue. The former 5x All-Star PG was recently asked, if he were a GM, who would take #1 overall and Wall stated that he would take Darryn Peterson. Time will tell if the Wizards front office feels similarly.
How does Peterson compare to KU draft picks and current NBA players?
Regardless of where DP lands on draft night, he will become part of a prestigious club of Jayhawks who will play in the NBA. What some former KU alums proved is that players don’t have to be taken with the top pick to be successful in the league either. Embiid and Chamberlain, for example, were drafted 3rd overall and went on to become NBA MVPs.
Paul Pierce was drafted 10th overall and is now in the Hall of Fame as of 2021. Kirk Hinrich and Nick Collison were drafted 7th and 12th overall, respectively and both played well over a decade in the NBA. If the talent is there, which it is with Peterson, you are going to stick in the league and play for a long time!
As for some player comparisons for active NBA guys, Peterson was recently compared stylistically to All-NBA guard, Devin Booker. Other players mentioned in the past have been active players like Bradley Beal, Jamal Murray, and Klay Thompson. Some retired players that Peterson has been connected to are Brandon Roy and even Kobe Bryant.
If Peterson can emulate a combination of these players’ careers (injuries aside of course), he will be set up to be a phenomenal NBA guard. If he heads to Salt Lake City with the Jazz, he will also stand alone in Jayhawks history as a 2nd overall pick, at least for the time being. Rock Chalk!
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