2026 NBA Draft: Darryn Peterson Could Break the Trend

In the modern NBA, size and versatility are two of the most important traits of not only a player, but also of a team. That’s why most No. 1 overall picks in recent NBA Draft classes have been jumbo forwards or bigs. 

It has become somewhat rare for a guard to be taken first overall, with Markelle Fultz, Anthony Edwards and Cade Cunningham being the exceptions over the past decade or more. But in the 2026 NBA Draft, Darryn Peterson could be the next guard to alter the trend and rise to the top as a guard.  

• 2014 – Andrew Wiggins

• 2015 – Karl-Anthony Towns

• 2016 – Ben Simmons

• 2017 – Markelle Fultz

• 2018 – Deandre Ayton

• 2019 – Zion Williamson

• 2020 – Anthony Edwards

• 2021 – Cade Cunningham

• 2022 – Paolo Banchero

• 2023 – Victor Wembanyama

• 2024 – Zaccharie Risacher

• 2025 – Cooper Flagg

In many cases, the player selected first overall was simply the best player in the class, and position didn’t necessarily factor into the team's decision with that pick. But it also is evident that wing or forward players with size and modern skills are able to thrive before making it to the NBA Draft. It’s extremely difficult for a guard to showcase enough to be considered the top player in the class. 

It’s going to be especially hard for Peterson to do that next summer as well, especially considering he’ll be part of an elite trio that is projected to compete for being the No. 1 overall pick, with Cameron Boozer and AJ Dybantsa being the other two in that group. Peterson is the only guard of the three, with the other two being more of the archetype of player that we’ve seen be drafted in most years during the past decade. 

At 6-foot-5 with a strong, athletic build, Peterson has the intangible traits to be well worth the top pick, even in this loaded class. He has tremendous upside on both ends of the court and in many respects should be considered one of the best guard prospects we’ve seen in the past 20 years. He has the scoring arsenal that could be refined in a way that it wouldn’t be surprising to see him lead the league in scoring one day. The incoming Kansas Jayhawks freshman also has the ability to play in either guard spot, with a knack for finding teammates and playmaking for others when needed. 

Peterson’s game has flashes of Devin Booker, as a combo guard with the potential to be the face of the franchise and a cornerstone piece to build an entire roster around. He’s an alpha on the court and is a potentially generational guard prospect. 

It will take a phenomenal season at the collegiate level with Kansas this upcoming year, but Darryn Peterson will have the ability to be the first guard taken first overall since Cade Cunningham in 2021.