Until the regular season starts, the NBA Summer League is the only way for fans to gauge how a player might be able to compete at the next level, but it may not always be an accurate predictor. Numerous NBA stars who struggled in the Summer League, like Stephen Curry and Tim Duncan. However, there are some that show up and show out, and Darryn Peterson seems to be a part of the latter group.
Now, let's not get too ahead of ourselves, as Peterson has only played in two games so far, so we can't be dubbing him the king of the NBA just yet. That doesn't mean he hasn't impressed, though, in just two showings. His second showing, which just so happened to be a matchup against Cam Boozer and the Memphis Grizzlies, had star written all over it.
Peterson finished the night as the star between himself and Boozer, finishing with 25 points, 12 assists, and only two turnovers. Starting the game 3-for-3 with nine points proved Peterson can be the firecracker the Utah Jazz were hoping to get with the No. 2 pick. The best part of it all is that in two games, there hasn't been a sign of cramping for Peterson, signaling those problems could be a thing of the past.
After his masterful performance, which helped lift the Jazz to a 131-107 win over the Grizzlies, Peterson gave some insight into the one NBA legend he molds his game around.
"I say it all the time, I'm a Kobe guy, that's something he did," Peterson said postgame. "Anytime I can assert dominance, I try to, so at the end of games, I try to kill.”
“I say it all the time, I'm a Kobe guy….Anytime I can assert dominance, I try to, so at the end of games, I try to kill.”
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) July 7, 2026
— Darryn Peterson. 🔥
(h/t @ohnohedidnt24)
pic.twitter.com/wFc1xsac8S
Darryn Peterson could be a generational talent in the NBA and not even be the No. 1 overall pick
Before Peterson ever stepped foot on a college basketball court in a regular-season game, he was considered to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. What Peterson did in high school was nothing short of phenomenal, and it was a big reason for the early hype for the NBA.
Then, he played a season at Kansas that changed everything. It is not like head coach Bill Self ruined Peterson, but one choice the young playmaker made ended up derailing his entire college basketball season. Peterson decided to begin taking high doses of creatine to help bulk up for the more physical game that is college basketball.
That decision ended up causing more problems than not, and made Peterson so susceptible to cramping, and even cramped so badly at one point before the season began, that it sent him to the ER. Since then, Peterson became timid on the court when it came to the feeling his body had, pulling himself from games multiple times throughout the year.
Those choices made NBA teams question Peterson and gave BYU star AJ Dybantsa the perfect opportunity to step into the No. 1 pick slot with his play. While Peterson wanted to go No. 1 overall to the Washington Wizards, Dybantsa ended up being their pick, but Peterson didn't have to wait too long before hearing his name from the Utah Jazz in a pick that could change everything in Salt Lake City.
With what Peterson has shown in just two games in the NBA Summer League, there is a real chance he could have a generational career, something no one thought possible when watching him at Kansas. Again, we can't get too ahead of ourselves, but the Peterson of old has clearly come back out to play, and it is refreshing to see.
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