Skip Bayless is usually the guy you disagree with on purpose. But every once in a while he says something that makes you stop and think, huh, he might actually have a point. That happened this week when Bayless weighed in on Utah Jazz rookie Darryn Peterson.
Peterson, the No. 2 overall pick in this year’s draft, has been turning heads at Summer League. He dropped 25 points and 12 assists against the Memphis Grizzlies in Las Vegas, and Bayless couldn’t help himself.
“Darryn Peterson, 25 and 12 assists vs Boozer’s Griz last night. Most assists he had at KU: 4! As I said before the draft, DP will be the best player in this class, a better pro than he was in college for (Bill) Self,” Bayless posted on X.
For context, Bayless spent years trolling LeBron James and Kevin Durant. He’s not exactly an easy endorsement to get. So when he goes out of his way to hype a rookie, it means something.
What the scouts got wrong about Peterson
Coming out of Kansas, the concerns weren’t about Peterson’s talent. Everyone saw the package — smooth shooting off the dribble, good size for a guard, the kind of frame that doesn’t get bullied in the NBA. He looked like a guy who could score 20 on any given night.
The question mark was durability. Peterson missed multiple games last season, sometimes at the last minute. He’d be listed as available, then suddenly scratched right before tipoff. No major injury, nothing that required surgery. Just a pattern of absences that made scouts wonder if he had the same hunger as the guys around him.
A few teams reportedly flagged those absences as a red flag. Some questioned his commitment. But so far in Summer League, he’s been on the floor every night and playing like the best guy in the building.
Why this matters for Utah
The Jazz traded for Jaren Jackson Jr. at last year’s deadline, signaling they’re trying to move forward faster than a full rebuild usually allows. Jackson gives them an elite defender in the middle. But they still needed a primary scorer who can create his own shot in the halfcourt. Peterson is supposed to be that guy.
The early returns are promising. He’s not just scoring. He’s making reads, finding cutters, showing the kind of vision that didn’t always show up in college. Bayless pointed out that Peterson had 12 assists in one Summer League game. His career high at Kansas was four. That’s not a fluke. That’s a player adjusting to the space and pace of the pro game.
Nobody is handing out Rookie of the Year trophies in July. But the Jazz needed a building block who could grow with Jackson and Lauri Markkanen. Peterson looks like that guy. And yes, even Skip Bayless noticed.
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