Canton native and Kansas Jayhawks standout guard Darryn Peterson is among the top prospects heading into the 2026 NBA Draft.
He’s largely viewed as a consensus top-three pick this year, but whether he’ll go No. 1, No. 2 or No. 3 remains to be seen. Those three picks belong to the Washington Wizards, Utah Jazz and Memphis Grizzlies, respectively.
Peterson held a meeting with the Wizards, who hold the top choice, but does not plan to grant a meeting with other teams. ESPN reports that Peterson’s decision not to meet with any team other than Washington will not be a “major factor” in Utah’s decision of whether to select Peterson at No. 2 overall, but that also doesn’t guarantee he’s a lock at that slot.
Peterson is perhaps the most polarizing prospect of this year’s top three that includes BYU’s AJ Dybantsa and Duke’s Cameron Boozer. ESPN pundit Stephen A. Smith was critical of the Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy product back in February. He said in part that he “can’t trust” Peterson and that there is no NBA team who should select him No. 1 overall.
That criticism stemmed from Peterson’s inconsistent availability during his one-and-done season at Kansas. Peterson sat out 11 games throughout the season due to recurring cramping issues that also forced him to sub out early from other games. Peterson has since said that high doses of creatine he was ingesting contributed to his frequent cramping issues.
Peterson defended himself against Stephen A’s critique by saying in part, “Basketball is my life.”
Peterson’s talent is undeniable, but those teams with the top three selections this year will ultimately decide his landing place in the NBA. Here’s what mock drafts are predicting for the Canton native.
CBS Sports, Yahoo! predict Darryn Peterson will fall to Grizzlies at No. 3 pick
Mock drafts from both CBS Sports and Yahoo! Sports have Peterson slipping to No. 3 overall in this year’s draft, with Dybantsa taking over as the consensus No. 1 pick to Washington. Dybantsa became the first freshman since Trae Young to lead the country in scoring at 25.5 points per contest.
The key wrinkle of the mocks that have Peterson going to Memphis is Boozer going to the Jazz at pick No. 2. Boozer’s father Carlos Boozer, a two-time All-Star for the Jazz during his own NBA playing career, joined Utah’s front office in May 2025. On that basis, there’s reason to believe the Jazz would have a soft spot for the younger Boozer, who many pundits believe has the highest floor of the top prospects available.
Yahoo! calls Cameron Boozer “the most polished player in the class,” while CBS writes that Boozer is among “the most consistent and reliable prospects of the past 25 years.”
Boozer arguably doesn’t have the highest ceiling of the prospects available, but his standing as a perceived “can’t miss” talent may ultimately make him the choice for Utah over Peterson.
ESPN and The Athletic predict Darryn Peterson will go to Utah at No. 2 overall in the draft
Unlike the above mocks, predictions from both ESPN and The Athletic have Peterson being taken at No. 2 overall to the Jazz.
“For the past couple of weeks, rival teams have been operating as if Peterson and Dybantsa will be the first two players off the board,” ESPN’s Jeremy Woo wrote. “Sources say Peterson’s medicals have not raised major concerns with teams, clearing the way for him to hear his name called as a top-two pick.”
The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie echoes ESPN’s reporting that Peterson not granting a workout to Utah will not dissuade the Jazz from selecting him with the No. 2 overall pick. “This was proved last season, when (the Jazz) took Ace Bailey at No. 5 despite him not going to Utah and with his camp seemingly working to direct him to Washington at No. 6,” Vecenie wrote.
If the mock draft analyses are to be trusted, the real curveball would occur if Peterson — who began the season being viewed as the top overall prospect — went No. 1 to Washington. That slot seems increasingly likely to belong to Dybantsa, but no matter how the top three shakes out, each franchise should be chuffed with whatever talent falls to them.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Canton native Darryn Peterson is a likely top 3 pick in 2026 NBA Draft
Reporting by Ben Leibowitz, Akron Beacon Journal / Akron Beacon Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Ben Leibowitz, Akron Beacon Journal | USA TODAY Network
