Darryn Peterson is a talented big guard with the ability to take over games through driving, shot-making, and difficult perimeter scoring. Peterson is naturally right-handed but uses his left hand well around the basket and in traffic. He averaged 20.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.4 steals per game during the 2025-26 season while shooting 38.2% from three-point range and 82.6% from the free throw line. Peterson was named Second Team All-Big 12. At 6'5" with a 6'9.75" wingspan and a 199-pound frame, Peterson (with a few added lbs.) should easily reach positional size for a NBA two guard. At his best, he may be the most convincing future star in the 2026 NBA Draft. However, he was not consistently dominant enough for us to rank him as the top overall prospect. Peterson flashes elite scoring talent and difficult shot-making ability but he finished the season with just 38 assists and the same number of turnovers. He has expressed a desire to play point guard in the NBA. We view Peterson as a top-tier NBA scoring two guard at this stage.
Peterson’s DEFRTG was 2.9 points worse than the Kansas team DEFRTG, reflecting inconsistent defensive impact. Teams should also evaluate the human side of the prospect. Coaches and teammates defend Peterson as a hard worker whose injuries legitimately affected portions of his season, but Peterson himself openly acknowledged being introverted, stating: “Somebody's had something to say, probably, after every game this year. So, I don't really pay attention to it anymore. I've kind of been an anti-social loner my whole life, kind of, so I kind of just deal with it on my own.” ...Personality alone should never define a prospect evaluation. Kawhi Leonard is famously introverted and developed into a NBA superstar. Still, completely ignoring Peterson’s personality profile would also be a mistake. Even if it is only a small factor, teams may find him to be a reluctant superstar which can impact the business side of basketball. Ultimately, we view Peterson as a future NBA star and one of the premier scoring guards in this draft class.
