The results are in, and the Utah Jazz are the lucky winners by selecting Kansas guard Darryn Peterson with the No. 2 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. While Peterson wasn't selected No. 1, the Jazz couldn't be a better spot for him, as he can step up and immediately be the star in Salt Lake City.
Reports surfaced that Peterson only met with the Washington Wizards, the team with the No. 1 pick, making it seem like it was Washington or bust for the Kansas star. However, NBA Insider Shams Charania debunked that myth, with some interesting news about a meeting with the Jazz.
"Darryn Peterson, formally, only visited for the Washington Wizards, but sources told me that the Utah Jazz actually went to go see Darryn Peterson himself for a private visit in Canton, Ohio," Charania said.
With the way it was reported, it seemed as though Peterson was turning his nose up at the thought of going anywhere but Washington, but clearly, the Jazz were making sure to make him feel good. The Jazz went and met with Peterson personally in Canton, Ohio, for a private visit, showing how badly they wanted him in Salt Lake City.
Even without that visit, however, Utah may still have selected him after last year when the Justin Zanik and Danny Ainge-led front office selected Rutgers freshman Ace Bailey Jr. in the top 10 despite never meeting with him in the pre-draft process.
Darryn Peterson is set up for success with the Utah Jazz
Peterson didn't show everything he had talent-wise when he was at Kansas. The cramping issue ended up overshadowing what could have been one of the best one-and-done seasons in Lawrence since Joel Embiid and Andrew Wiggins.
Now that the cramping issue is under control, Peteson will be able to return to his pre-college form and hopefully pre-college talent as well. Even with the cramping issue, Peterson was able to lead Kansas in scoring all season with 20.2 points per game. So, imagine what he will do when the cramping is under control and he has NBA coaching behind him.
Peterson will no doubt be handed the reins in Utah, especially with the Jazz in need of a superstar. Peterson can now be unleashed, but there could be a bit of a growing period. With the higher elevation, Peterson will need to make sure he keeps his cramps under control.
There are some who believe Peterson's ceiling is very high. NBA analyst Kendrick Perkins gave Peterson a ceiling as high as a career like Kobe Bryant. To be compared to Bryant is something that every player wants to hear, but if he can't reach those heights, it's not too shabby to have a floor comparison to Bradley Beal's career.
Peterson will get his chance to prove all the haters wrong in his very first season, and while the playoffs could be a lofty dream, but not completely out of the realm of possibility.
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