Kansas forward Darryn Peterson used the NBA Draft Combine to argue he’s worthy of the No. 1 pick, even as BYU’s AJ Dybantsa remains the consensus top selection for 2026.
Even as the NBA Draft picture has largely coalesced around one clear top choice, Darryn Peterson is making a direct case for something closer to the top of the board.
At this week’s NBA Draft Combine. the Kansas Jayhawks forward told ESPN he believes he is the best player available entering the 2026 draft and should be selected first overall.. “I feel like I’m the best.. Any team I feel like I’m placed on. I feel like I can go in and make an instant impact on both sides of the ball. and I’m willing to do whatever it takes to make my team better and help my team win. ” Peterson said during an appearance on ESPN.
For much of the college season. Peterson was projected as the leading prospect. with many treating him as the player most likely to go first.. That view shifted as the year progressed. and the consensus heading toward the NBA Draft Lottery is now that BYU’s AJ Dybantsa will be the No.. 1 pick next month. setting up a likely pairing of Dybantsa to the lowly Washington Wizards unless there is a major trade.
Peterson’s push for the top spot does not appear likely to change that projection. Still, he framed his pitch as something that should matter to teams deciding on a franchise cornerstone.
In the same conversation, Peterson described his best NBA comparison as reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.. He also drew attention to the reality that his own confidence would be weighed alongside measurable upside. noting that the kind of answer expected from a top-three prospect is one that suggests readiness rather than uncertainty.
There was also a personal angle.. Peterson said he and Dybantsa have been teammates and rivals, and described their on-court dynamic in straightforward terms.. “Just two hoopers going out there and chasing a dream.. Obviously. when we step on the court. we try to go at each other. so that’s what we are always trying to do. and I’ve been blessed to come out on top every time. ” he said on SportsCenter.
Peterson’s college production gives weight to why he remains in the conversation. Across 24 games at Kansas, he averaged 20.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.4 steals. He also played in the NCAA Tournament, where Kansas lost a close game to the St. John’s Red Storm in the second round.
One of Peterson’s standout moments came in an overtime win over TCU, when he scored 32 points.. Yet scouts and analysts who watched Kansas this season also pointed to how much Dybantsa’s performances seemed to dominate the headlines.. Dybantsa recorded a career-high 43 points in January against Utah. adding six rebounds. three assists. and a block in BYU’s 91-78 win.
Peterson also addressed concerns that surfaced earlier in the season, when he missed games due to severe cramping.. He has since clarified that the issue was linked to diet and explained that an increase in creatine intake helped resolve it.. He said that figuring out the cause has been “good for him mentally. ” and that he feels back to where he was athletically in high school.
With the lottery approaching, the expectation remains that Peterson will be the No. 2 pick, with the Utah Jazz projected to select him. The Jazz, having struggled in recent seasons, would be looking for help significant enough to lift the roster quickly.
Even with Dybantsa widely seen as first overall, Peterson’s message at the Combine was clear: he believes he can step in immediately and help a team win, on both ends of the floor.
NBA Draft 2026 Darryn Peterson AJ Dybantsa NBA Draft Combine Utah Jazz Kansas Jayhawks
bro really said hes better than dybantsa lmaooo ok
I dont even think the wizards want dybantsa they just got the pick right so they could trade it anyway. Peterson might end up somewhere better honestly which could be good for him long term but who knows how these teams think.
Dude says he’s best like that guarantees the #1 pick lol.
wait so Peterson already got drafted and they comparing him to SGA?? thats a huge reach he hasnt even played one NBA minute yet. SGA took years to become MVP people forget that. I remember when everyone said the same stuff about other guys from kansas and they flopped in the league so im not getting my hopes up. The combine numbers dont even matter half the time its all about who the team likes behind closed doors and we never hear any of that.
I don’t get it, they already “know” Dybantsa is going first. Peterson just talking himself into it? Wizards better not draft vibes.
wasnt Peterson supposed to be going to the NFL or something
Peterson comparing himself to Shai is wild because Shai was already a grown man when he came in. Also “both sides of the ball” sounds like coach speak. I swear combine interviews don’t mean anything when the lottery picks are already locked.
So if he says he can make an instant impact then why isn’t he already the consensus?? I feel like Kansas always gets overhyped, like they did with that other guy. Wizards just need defense and he’s saying “willing to do whatever it takes,” which could be anything. And the lowly Wizards part like ok but trades happen all the time, right?