NBA Draft: Three Things Darryn Peterson Needs to Prove at Kansas

The 2026 NBA Draft is already starting to gain hype as one of the better classes in some time, owning the stellar trio of Darryn Peterson, AJ Dybantsa and Cameron Boozer.

All three are said to be No. 1-level prospects, though they’ll still need to prove their talent in the upcoming college basketball season.

We’ve already evaluated what Boozer and Dybantsa need to work on in their lone season, and here we’ll take a look at what Peterson needs to cement in his season with the Jayhawks.

Peterson was one of the more polished players most experts have seen in preps play, meaning he won’t need to prove much to cement himself as a top option. Our three things to prove are somewhat nit-picky, though he'll still need to see a solid season with Kansas to go No. 1:

Driving Ability and Finishing

Peterson projects to be a strong three-level scorer at both the college and NBA level, and that largely hinges on just how good his driving ability is.

He has unique athleticism, able to turn on the burners and leap fairly high, but it’s moreso his quick-twitch change of pace and angular driving that makes him such a threat.

This is thought of to be one of his better skills as a prospect, and backing it up with strong at-rim numbers in college would answer the few questions decision-makers have regarding Peterson.

3-Point Shooting

Another skill Peterson excelled at in preps play, his shooting is a weapon in his offensive bag, usually parlaying the threat of his drive into high-rising, smooth jumpers. 

Again, Peterson projects to be strong in this area. But we’ve seen a few top-tier prospects taper off somewhat when they’re faced with the collegiate 3-point line.

Solid outside splits from Peterson could help his case to go No. 1 more than other developments.

Handling and Decision-Making

Peterson projects to play more of the two-guard in general, able to slash and shoot as a top offensive option. Still, he should be a keen enough handler and decision-maker to warrant plenty of on-ball reps, such as a player like Anthony Edwards.

Kansas is likely to feel the same about Peterson, offering him some on-ball reps both creating for himself and play-making. How he fares could affect just how highly teams think of him.