Darryn Peterson’s confidence is not a problem. The Kansas guard, widely expected to go No. 2 in the 2026 NBA Draft, actually knows where he wants to score his first NBA bucket. And he said it straight to the cameras.
“Gonna get to that spot and hit it,” Peterson told ESPN, imagining a midrange jumper over Victor Wembanyama. All 7-foot-5 of the Spurs center. That’s the guy the reigning Defensive Player of the Year.
Peterson didn’t flinch. He said it twice. The clip went viral. And honestly? It tracks with everything we know about this draft class. AJ Dybantsa is the projected No. 1 pick from BYU, and people are already calling him a future star. Caleb Wilson from North Carolina has had “GOAT” conversations floated around him. But Peterson is out here picking a fight with the most physically imposing player in the league before he’s even drafted.
That’s the kind of energy that gets you remembered. Or roasted. But Peterson seems fine with either.
The No. 2 Pick Is Basically Locked
According to reports from ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel, Peterson canceled a workout with the Utah Jazz and then told reporters he’d already met with team officials over the weekend. That’s not a guy who’s still auditioning. That’s a guy who knows where he’s going.
“It seems pretty clear at this point that Peterson knows he’s going to be the second pick, which will put him in a very favorable position with the Jazz team ready to emerge as the next youthful threats in the Western Conference,” Siegel wrote.
So Peterson to Utah at No. 2 feels real. And it makes sense. The Jazz have been quiet since the Donovan Mitchell era ended. Their fan base is hungry. Like, genuinely starving for a team that can hang in the West again. Peterson could walk in and be the face of the franchise from Day 1. That’s not typical for a No. 2 pick. Usually there’s some development runway. But this is a guy who just called out Wemby for a 1-on-1. He’s not waiting.
The Competition Behind Dybantsa
Peterson being No. 2 isn’t a lock lock. Duke’s Cam Boozer — yes, that Boozer — has people talking. And Wilson from North Carolina is still in the mix. But the buzz around Peterson has a different edge. It’s louder. More confident. More willing to say “I’m going to score on the best defender in the league” out loud.
Whether he actually gets that matchup in his first game? That’s up to the schedule makers. But Peterson’s not wrong to think big. The NBA rewards swagger. The question is whether he can back it up against a guy who blocks shots like he’s swatting flies.
We’ll find out soon enough.
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