This year’s NBA Draft is expected to be on of the best in a decade.
And KU’s Darryn Peterson seems to be getting a lot of time as “the guy” at the top of most mock draft boards.
Kansas coach Bill Self described freshman Peterson before his Jayhawk tenure as “the best player we’ve recruited since we’ve been here.”
Peterson at 6-foot-6 and a 6-foot-10 wingspan is a playmaker who can make buckets. A dynamic driver to the basket with a Shai Gilgeous-Alexander like step back.
He arrived at KU a McDonald’s All-American, a national No. 1 recruit, but has played just four games this season for the No. 22 Jayhawks due to a lingering hamstring injury. There are some questions about his durability, but a hamstring injury never stopped an NBA GM front going after a home run.
In his most recent game against Kansas State he played 32 minutes and scored 32 points and got to the free throw line 15 times.
ESPN NO. 1 PROSPECT DARRYN PETERSON GAVE TCU 32 PTS 🤯
And hit the game-tying free throws in Kansas’ thrilling OT win 🔥 pic.twitter.com/95GcMEJPNa
— ESPN (@espn) January 7, 2026
Peterson is ranked as the consensus No. 1 pick in June’s NBA Draft, with AJ Dybantsa (BYU), and Cameron Boozer (Duke) appearing to be locked into the Top 3 in the class.
