Kansas one-and-done guard Darryn Peterson is considered a near-lock to be selected in the top three of the 2026 NBA Draft. His offensive skillset has been deemed NBA-ready, and upon arrival in his new city, he’s destined to make an immediate impact. The 19-year-old is arguably one of the best prospects to hit the draft board this decade, and he’s making it clear that he believes he is worthy of the first pick in the upcoming draft.
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Peterson has elected to visit only one organization ahead of the draft and does not plan to visit anyone else during the remaining time period; that team is the Washington Wizards. While the media hasn’t been able to pinpoint the Wizards’ potential selection, Peterson may be giving everyone a hint at who is being selected with Washington’s first pick.
Does Darryn Peterson Know Something the Experts Don’t?
While Peterson has seen his stock trending up ever so slightly, fellow freshman AJ Dybantsa still seems to be the consensus best player and top pick in the upcoming draft. However, Peterson has made it clear that Washington is the place for him, and he will not be heading anywhere else to conduct meetings.
Trade rumors aside, is this information truly giving experts some insight into who the Wizards may be taking at number one? Or, is Peterson possibly hurting his draft stock by not meeting with some of the other franchises inside the top three?
Is It the Right Move?
Peterson is really betting on himself. He truly believes he is the best player in this draft, and that confidence could be his downfall heading into draft night. Charania mentioned that lottery teams have taken note of this, but it may not hurt his stock significantly:
“Teams in the lottery have taken note of Peterson’s decision to give access to only Washington…Although Peterson does not plan to visit Utah [Jazz] before the draft, that is not considered by rival teams to be a major factor in whether the Jazz will select him. There is precedent for that thinking, as general manager Austin Ainge selected Ace Bailey fifth overall last year, despite Bailey’s camp electing not to work out there.”
The Jazz proved that they will take players even if they don’t want to play in Salt Lake City. It was Bailey last year, and it could very well end up being Peterson this year. However, what if the Jazz decide to pass up on Peterson?
After all, Keyonte George looks like their guard of the future, and Isaiah Collier and Cody Williams played great ball as Utah’s season wound down. So, where could Peterson end up? It wouldn’t be a terribly far drop, but it could serve as a surreal reality check for the young guard.
Both Cameron Boozer and Caleb Wilson impressed scouts at the NBA Combine, and very well could jump Peterson at two and three before being the best option on the board for the Chicago Bulls at four. Similar to Bailey, his stubbornness wouldn’t overly hurt his stock, but could push him out of the top three, with hopes of not falling further.
The Last Word
Obviously, Peterson is a top-three player in this draft. He stands to become one of the best players in nearly every lottery team’s locker room almost immediately. However, there is no denying that with the drama from his time in Kansas to this, there could be some questions that lottery teams aren’t trying to answer.
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