Darryn Peterson

Darryn Wayne Peterson (born January 17, 2007) is an American professional basketball player for the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Kansas Jayhawks. A consensus five-star recruit, he was one of the top-ranked players of the 2025 class. Peterson was selected by the Jazz with the second-overall pick in the 2026 NBA draft.

Early life Peterson was born and raised in Canton, Ohio. His father, Darryl Peterson II, played basketball at Western Hills High School in Cincinnati from 1997 to 2001 and at the University of Akron from 2001 to 2006. His older brother, Darryl Peterson III, won multiple state football titles at Archbishop Hoban High School in Akron before playing at the University of Wisconsin.

Peterson attended Hartford Middle School in Canton. leading his team to a 16–8 record and an appearance in the OHSAA Division II district title game. He was the only freshman named to the All-Ohio Division II first team despite missing the start of the season due to a foot injury.

On August 12, 2024, Peterson announced he was transferring to Prolific Prep in Napa, California for his senior season. Peterson was named a McDonald's All-American after averaging 30.4 points, 7.2 rebounds, 7.4 assists and 2.2 steals per game.

Recruiting Peterson was a consensus five-star recruit and one of the top players in the 2025 class, according to major recruiting services. He received his first offers from St. John's and Xavier when he was still in the eighth grade. In September 2024, Peterson narrowed a previous list of eight choices down to Kansas, Kansas State, Ohio State and USC. On November 1, 2024, he committed to playing college basketball at Kansas. Kansas coach Bill Self said: "Darryn's the best player we've recruited since we've been here. He's a special talent."

College career As a freshman at Kansas in 2025–2026, Peterson had limited availability. Through the Jayhawks' first 27 games, he sat out 11 and played fewer than 25 minutes in seven of his 16 appearances as a result of hamstring and ankle injuries, including persistent cramping. Peterson scored a career-high 32 points on January 6, 2026, helping the team to a 104–100 overtime win over TCU. He also scored 28 points in a 68–60 win over California Baptist in his NCAA tournament debut. Peterson averaged 20.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.4 steals per game, earning second-team All-Big 12 Conference honors. He was also named an honorable mention All-American by the Associated Press and the U.S. Basketball Writers Association.

Professional career On June 23, 2026, Peterson was selected with the second overall pick by the Utah Jazz in the 2026 NBA Draft.

National team career Peterson represented the United States at the 2023 FIBA Under-16 Americas Championship in Mexico. He averaged 16.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 3.3 steals in under 18 minutes per game, leading his team to a gold medal and earning all-tournament honors. Peterson recorded 13 points and seven assists in their 118–36 win against Canada in the final.

Personal life In November 2023, after transferring to Huntington Prep, Peterson became the first high school athlete to sign a Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) deal with Adidas. A few weeks later, he signed a multi-year endorsement deal with Fanatics, Inc., becoming the youngest athlete to sign a deal with a trading card company.

His older brother, Darryl Peterson III, plays in the National Football League for the Los Angeles Rams.

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