Why did former KU guard Peterson sit out Tuesday’s NBA summer league game?
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Jazz officials rested No. 2 pick Darryn Peterson for the final Salt Lake City game.
- Peterson had 12 assists in the second SLC game.
- The three are expected to play in Vegas opener Thursday at 8 p.m. CT.
Rookie sensation Darryn Peterson did not play in the Utah Jazz’s third and final game in the Salt Lake City summer league on Tuesday night.
It had nothing to do with issues of cramping, hamstring tightness, sprained ankles or flu-related symptoms that were cited as reasons for the 6-foot-6, 19-year-old combo guard missing 11 games — and forcing his removal from several others — during his one-and-done college season at Kansas.
Jazz officials planned all along to rest No. 2 overall NBA Draft pick — as well as Ace Bailey and Cody Williams — on Tuesday, rather than have them cram three summer-league contests into four days.
The three are expected to play in the opening game of the Las Vegas summer league against No. 1 draft pick AJ Dybantsa’s Washington Wizards on Thursday. Tipoff will be 8 p.m. Central Time on ESPN.
The just-completed SLC summer league could easily have been referred to as “The Darryn Peterson” show.” He impressed many in scoring 28 points in 27 minutes in an opening win over Atlanta on Saturday. He followed with 25 points and 12 assists in 28 minutes in game two Monday — a victory over No. 3 overall pick Cameron Boozer’s Memphis Grizzlies.
Peterson’s 53 points in 55 minutes topped Boozer, who countered with 33 points and 11 rebounds in two games for the Grizzlies. He had 15 points and four rebounds in 24 minutes in a win over Oklahoma City on Saturday and 18 points and seven rebounds with four assists in a loss to Utah on Monday.
“It might be hyperbole to start predicting the future for Peterson and saying he’s destined for greatness, but there’s good reason behind so many people believing that’s what’s possible for him. And while Peterson doesn’t want to get ahead of himself and he feels like he has a long way to go, greatness is what he hopes for,” wrote veteran NBA reporter Sarah Todd of the Deseret News, who covers the Utah Jazz regularly.
“The fact that Peterson makes quick decisions, isn’t bothered by increased ball pressure and reads the floor at a speed that allows him to decrease his own foot speed are qualities that are unique for NBA rookies.”
Jazz assistant coach Steve Wojciechowski weighed in on the “greatness” issue saying, “Most guys who want to be great ... they expect to do well. Darryn expects to do well. And, how can I be better is the question that he asked himself (after committing eight turnovers against two assists in his debut then recording 12 assists to two turnovers in game two). That’s a very mature question for a young player to ask, especially after his first game in front of Jazz fans, his first game in a Jazz uniform.
“You don’t need me to talk about his play. His play speaks for itself. He’s a really hungry learner. He wants to be great and I think he’s got what it takes,” added Wojciechowski, a former head coach at Marquette and assistant at Duke.
Former NBA player Jeff Teague said on Club 520 podcast: “I don’t think there’s been a guard better than him entering the NBA in the last decade for real.”
“He’s 6-6 coming out of college like that. Anthony Edwards was cold, but he wasn’t like him…. this kid is better,” Teague added.
CJ McCollum of the Atlanta Hawks told SI.com: “I think he could have played in the NBA last year. He’s going to have a special career and I hope that when it’s all said and done, it’s LeBron (James) coming out of Ohio and then you’re talking about him,” McCollum said of Canton, Ohio native Peterson.
Former NBA player Joe Johnson said on the Nightcap Show: ““For me, when I watched Darryn Peterson today, how he ran the pick and roll, how patient he was. He wasn’t sped up. When he did speed up he got to whatever he wanted to. He didn’t seem uncomfortable to me out there. I think he has so many tools in his toolbox. The sky’s the limit for this kid.”
Peterson wants that to be the case as he moves on to Vegas for game number 3 as a pro on Thursday. All NBA teams are guaranteed four games (some will play five) in the July 9-19 Vegas event.
“What is greatness to me? I think it’s just kind of being one-of-one. There’s not a ton of people I would say, that achieve greatness,” Peterson told the Deseret News
“That’s definitely something I want to try to achieve. I’m far away from it now so early in my career in summer league, but it’s something I want to try to achieve by the end of my career.”
