Will KU’s Darryn Peterson go No. 1 in the NBA Draft? What I’m hearing this week
The NBA Draft is rapidly approaching, and so too is talk heating up about the event taking place on June 23-24 in Brooklyn, New York.
The rumor mill is churning, and many of the rumors out there right now are “simply not true,” one league source recently told The Star.
For many of the scouts on lottery teams, conversations have centered on KU’s Darryn Peterson. Despite a tumultuous and turbulent season, Peterson remains in contention for the No. 1 overall pick.
Still, BYU’s AJ Dybantsa remains the favorite to be picked atop the draft. That would leave Peterson the most probable selection at No. 2, as several NBA scouts and draft evaluators have told The Star he’s unlikely to fall beyond that.
To understand how the NBA Draft’s top picks could shake out — and how Peterson is viewed in NBA circles — I’ve had many conversations with those around the league in recent days.
Here’s what I’ve been hearing about the NBA Draft and Peterson through conversations with insiders, NBA scouts and those who know Peterson well.
Who goes No. 1 in the NBA Draft?
As I’ve mentioned before, the draft order is viewed favorably by Peterson’s camp, according to a source close to him.
The Washington Wizards will pick at No. 1, followed by the Utah Jazz at No. 2, Memphis Grizzlies at No. 3 and Chicago Bulls at No. 4.
People around Peterson have expressed they don’t think he’ll fall past No. 3. And in recent days, two different NBA sources have told me that it’s still unclear which player will actually go No. 1, whether Dybantsa or Peterson.
Things could always change, but with a few weeks to go, those two seem to be the only real contenders at No. 1.
So why is the draft order so interesting?
Start with a massive connection between the Jazz and Dybantsa, one I witnessed firsthand.
Danny Ainge, the CEO of the Jazz and a BYU alum, has a close relationship with Dybantsa and his family. Ainge and other Utah Jazz office members were seen at multiple BYU games throughout the 2025-26 season, including at the Big 12 Tournament, where Ainge greeted Dybantsa and his family after games.
One NBA source said that the connection won’t mean much in the grand scheme of things and that it isn’t talked about in team meetings. And it may also be hard to move up in this draft, with two sources telling The Star there’s a heavy premium in acquiring a top-4 pick in what is viewed as a strong draft.
One NBA scout — from a lottery team outside the top 4 — told The Star movement inside that top group could happen, but called it unlikely that any of those teams would trade a top-4 pick without getting another in return.
Another NBA scout told The Star that he expects the Jazz to make an offer to move up to No. 1, but also said the Wizards would be unlikely to move off the top pick given their struggles in recent years.
Darryn Peterson’s interviews
In recent weeks, Peterson has conducted several interviews with lottery teams. Two NBA sources with different lottery teams said that Peterson interviewed quite well.
One of them noted that Peterson presented himself well, even if he’s more on the reserved side. Peterson’s quieter nature, compared to that of the outspoken Dybantsa, is a topic of discussion.
Depending on who you ask, it could be something that matters. Back in February, one NBA scout said he liked Dybantsa’s “alpha dawg” demeanor.
Another NBA front office member recently told The Star that it’s not a matter of whether Peterson is quiet, but rather if everyone in the locker room likes him.
That point is something I’ve had a number of NBA scouts ask me about when talking about Peterson.
NBA teams want to know how his teammates viewed him during a difficult year marred by injuries and inconsistent play.
From what I’ve gathered, Peterson was well-liked by teammates. I talked to a number of them during the NCAA Tournament, including several who told The Star they were there when Peterson was experiencing full-body cramps.
In his exclusive interview with ESPN, Peterson shouted out former KU players Bryson Tiller and Melvin Council for having his back. They weren’t the only ones.
I spoke to former KU player and current Georgetown guard Elmarko Jackson in March about Peterson’s cramping.
“For him, it’s obviously scary,” Jackson told The Star. “You’re starting your freshman season, where there’s a lot of hype and a lot of buzz around you. It … gives you a different kind of perspective.”
In Jackson’s mind, Peterson should still be picked No. 1.
“You can ask me in the summer time to now, I still think he’s the No. 1 pick,” Jackson said. “He’s probably the best, most talented freshman guard I’ve ever seen in my life. The world can hate you for whatever reason, all the (nonsense), fake stuff they put out there on the internet that doesn’t matter. Everyone in this locker room, we are all with (Peterson).”
Injury questions on Peterson
A source close to Peterson told The Star that he underwent several medical tests before being fully cleared for the NBA Draft, which is why he took a while to declare.
Peterson, in an interview with ESPN in April, blamed creatine for the cramping issues that hindered him all season.
An NBA source felt there was no reason for Peterson to publicly come out and explain the reasoning behind his cramps when he did. The source noted that telling teams in interviews made more sense than making it publicly known.
On the Peterson injury front, a source close to Peterson said in mid-April that he was never 100% healthy while at Kansas. Peterson insists that he’s 100% healthy now.
Still, how NBA teams view Peterson’s injuries and ailments remains to be seen. Two NBA sources told The Star that it wouldn’t surprise them if Peterson’s injuries warranted further investigation by any teams interested in drafting him.
