Darryn Peterson is done pretending. The former Kansas guard is ready to bury his frustrating college career in the rearview mirror, and he isn’t being subtle about it.
Selected second overall in the 2026 NBA Draft, the Utah Jazz rookie went toe-to-toe with top pick AJ Dybantsa and the Washington Wizards on Thursday. Utah lost 92-88. But for Peterson, the real victory was simply holding the ball again. After the buzzer, he took a direct swipe at how Bill Self used him in Lawrence.
“I’m back having fun,” Peterson said. He didn’t mince words. “I wasn’t really experiencing it that much at Kansas. I was off the ball a ton, so I feel like myself again. Being on the ball, that’s what comes with it: being double teamed, different coverages, so keep adjusting.”
He wants the keys. Utah gave them to him.
So far, the experiment is working. Peterson exploded for 28 points on 11-of-21 shooting in his Summer League debut against Atlanta. He followed that up with a 25-point, 12-assist masterclass against Memphis. He looks liberated.
Thursday was a chaotic reality check. Peterson scraped together 24 points but coughed up eight turnovers and racked up nine fouls—a stat line only possible in the lawless wasteland of July basketball. He was fighting Dybantsa for every inch of hardwood.
Nobody doubts his talent. You don’t go No. 2 overall by accident. Peterson’s rare blend of defensive grit and offensive playmaking had scouts drooling, even when Kansas kept him in a corner.
In Lawrence, he was a glorified spot-up shooter. He averaged a measly 1.6 assists per game and led the Jayhawks in three-point attempts. He still made second-team All-Big 12, but he was miserable. Then there were those bizarre late-game benchings, which he later blamed on cramping caused by a creatine surplus. It was a weird fit from day one.
Now, those headaches belong to the past. Utah offers a blank canvas. The Jazz are young, hungry, and desperate for a real playmaker to feed Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Ace Bailey. If Peterson can actually distribute the rock like he claims he can, Salt Lake City just found its quarterback.
