Nothing about Darryn Peterson’s freshman season has been normal. The 6-foot-6 guard arrived in Lawrence with out-of-this-world expectations, with many viewing him as the best on-ball draft prospect in quite some time. So far, Peterson hasn’t disappointed when he has been on the floor. Unfortunately, he has been in and out of the Kansas lineup. It started with a groin injury that delayed his season debut until early November, and the same injury then forced him to miss some action over the last two months. Then, it was an ankle issue that sidelined him.
Peterson’s injuries have made him a polarizing player amongst Jayhawks fans, media members, and old-head types, as many have called him selfish for playing the long game with his recoveries. People have also been upset about his alleged desire to sit towards the end of games, noting that a player that has drawn Kobe Bryant comparisons should never opt out of a tight contest. However, it’s hard to understand those criticisms. This is a player with the potential to go No. 1 in the 2026 NBA Draft, and he needs to make sure he’s healthy. The last thing any of these guys should be doing is rushing back to the court and risking long-term injury. Minutes restrictions are not to be messed with.
The good thing with Peterson is you don’t get much else when talking about widespread negativity surrounding the prospect. He’s a borderline flawless offensive engine, and he possesses legitimate defensive upside.
Offensively, there’s a little Cade Cunningham in Peterson’s game. Peterson is a touch smaller than Cunningham, but he makes up for it with more speed and athletic pop. Outside of that, the skill sets really are similar. Peterson is a true three-level scoring threat, possessing a smooth-looking release on the jumper. The Kansas guard likes shooting off the bounce, where he’s lethal as a midrange shooter. He also likes walking into triples. There’s a confidence he has as a shooter that makes you think he’s going to hit everything.
Peterson is also unique in that he has big-time athleticism, but he prefers to play at a bit of a controlled pace. He likes to slowly bring the ball up, recognizing the importance of changing speeds when attacking the cup. He could simply put his foot on the gas at all times. He has that type of physical ability. However, playing the way he does gives him a bigger advantage over defenders.
As a driver, Peterson can finish above the rim, utilize floaters, or make difficult layups with both hands. He also has a rather advanced ability to draw fouls, which is impressive considering his injuries haven’t exactly allowed him to play with the same physicality and burst he had in high school.
Peterson is also an awesome decision maker. We haven’t quite seen eye-popping assist numbers from him, as he’s playing primarily as a two-guard with Kansas. However, he’s unbothered in the face of pressure, he understands probing the defense to scan the floor and buy time for his teammates, and he can make every read/pass on the floor. He also understands little things like manipulating defenses with his eyes, which is special for a player his age.
Peterson also has pitbull potential on the defensive end. He’s big, long, and nasty, which should allow him to eventually be a tough, in-your-shirt on-ball defender. He also plays passing lanes well, which makes him look the part of a plus-level backcourt player on this end of the floor. Peterson also has the size to guard up a bit, meaning he should pretty seamlessly slide up to handle wing assignments. He also shows a pretty good understanding of the nuances of team defense, so he rarely ever sticks out in a bad way — even with off-ball defense being a silent killer for some elite offensive prospects.
There just really isn’t much to pick at when looking at Peterson. If he ends up going after AJ Dybantsa or Cameron Boozer because of the injury stuff, so be it. However, whoever ends up drafting Peterson is getting a face of the franchise that has natural ability, a refined skill set, and a passion for the game. Considering the NBA-ready body, you bet on that all day if you’re looking for a game-changer. This is the type of guy that can get you 25-5-5 every night, while raising the level of his teammates on both ends of the floor. He also offers something a little different than some of his other peers at the top of this class.