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By Rowan Fisher-Shotton
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The 2026 NBA Draft class is already being considered one of the most talented in years. And on Tuesday night at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, it officially got underway, with the Washington Wizards holding the coveted No. 1 pick.
When the moment finally arrived, the Wizards made AJ Dybantsa the first overall pick, choosing him over Darryn Peterson. For weeks, analysts had been divided on the two prospects, Dybantsa the more NBA-ready talent, while Peterson was considered arguably the most gifted player in the draft. But Washington made it clear that the BYU star was their guy.
Moments later, the Utah Jazz were on the clock, and the franchise didn't hesitate, selecting Peterson with the second overall pick.
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After the pick was made, DeMarcus Cousins spoke about what he likes about the Kansas star and compared him to one of the greatest basketball players of all time, Kobe Bryant.
"I can see the Kobe in his game. I can see the self-confidence. I can see the isolation package. Everything we loved about Kobe, this kid shows flashes of. Super, super talented kid. Probably the most talented in the draft ... Just too talented to pass up on," Cousins said.
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Peterson entered the college ranks as the consensus No. 1 prospect in the 2025 recruiting class, a Naishmith High School Player of the Year, and Co-MVP of the McDonald's All-American Game.
In his lone season at Kansas, he averaged 20.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.4 steals in 24 games, shooting 43.8% from the field and 38.2% from 3-point range. At 20.2 points per game, Peterson had broken the Jayhawks freshman scoring record previously held by former No. 1 overall pick, Andrew Wiggins. He earned second-team All-Big 12 honors and was an honorable mention All-American.
Leading into the draft, some scouts had noted concerns over his maturity and durability after missing 11 games last season due to recurring cramping issues and other injuries. But the one thing nobody questioned was his talent.
He's a dynamic three-level scorer who can create separation off the dribble, punish defenders in the midrange, and knock down shots from deep. Standing around 6-foot-5 with a 200-pound frame, nearly the same as Kobe when he entered the league 30 years ago, Peterson's got the kind of physical profile to back up the comp.
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In Utah, Peterson will team up with guard Keyonte George, who averaged 23.6 points and 6.1 assists per game last season, along with All-Stars Lauri Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr., and last year's lottery pick Ace Bailey. That's a core built to compete now and grow with Peterson as the face of it all.
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