SALT LAKE CITY — In the bowels of Huntsman Arena, more than an hour after his second NBA Summer League appearance, Darryn Peterson trudged slowly into the media room at the University of Utah, eased into a chair and prepared to answer questions from the media.
Only this time, the Utah Jazz rookie, already a sensation just weeks after being selected No. 2 in the 2026 NBA Draft, delivered the first message.
“I’m sorry you guys had to wait so long,” he told reporters.
Advertisement
Peterson’s summer league debut featured 28 points against the Atlanta Hawks. His follow-up performance was a masterpiece, even by summer league standards: 25 points and 12 assists in a performance that put to rest some of the pre-draft concerns about his playmaking. The respect he showed for others’ time is, in part, why the Jazz were hoping Peterson would fall to No. 2. And it’s the reason Utah’s war room turned giddy when the Washington Wizards selected BYU star AJ Dybantsa with the No. 1 pick.
Right before the draft, leaders of the Jazz front office — Austin Ainge, Justin Zanik, Avery Bradley and Danny Ainge — traveled to Peterson’s hometown of Canton, Ohio, to meet with the former Kansas star face-to-face and pitch their vision. They presented their plan to Peterson and his family, outlined the role they envisioned for him and explained how they saw him fitting into the organization. Coach Will Hardy couldn’t make the trip, but he FaceTimed into the meeting, a gesture that didn’t go unnoticed.
“I appreciated his maturity,” Austin Ainge told The Athletic in an interview. “He just feels mature beyond his years. He understood what our program was about. I appreciated his drive and desire. What we knew going in is that he didn’t love how his year went at Kansas. And what we know now is that he’s motivated to have a better year going forward.”
a.showcase-link-container {
display: flex;
gap: 20px;
flex-direction: column;
align-items: center;
padding: 20px 0px;
border-top: 1px solid rgba(150, 150, 147, 0.4);
border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(150, 150, 147, 0.4);
text-decoration: none;
color: #121212;
cursor: pointer;
.showcase-link {
font-family: nyt-franklin;
font-size: 14px;
font-style: normal;
font-weight: 700;
line-height: 13.8px;
letter-spacing: 1.1px;
text-transform: uppercase;
}
.showcase-link-image {
border-radius: 8px;
object-fit: cover;
width: 200px;
height: 150px;
margin: 0px;
@media (max-width: 600px) {
width: 120px;
height: 120px;
}
}
.showcase-link-inner-content {
display: flex;
flex-direction: row;
gap: 16px;
width: 100%;
}
.showcase-link-text-content {
display: flex;
flex-direction: column;
gap: 20px;
justify-content: center;
@media (max-width: 600px) {
gap: 8px;
}
}
.showcase-link-title {
font-family: nyt-cheltenham;
font-size: 24px;
font-style: normal;
font-weight: 500;
line-height: 120%; /* 24px */
letter-spacing: 0.01px;
text-overflow: ellipsis;
overflow: hidden;
display: -webkit-box;
-webkit-box-orient: vertical;
-webkit-line-clamp: 3;
@media (max-width: 600px) {
font-size: 16px;
}
}
.showcase-link-excerpt {
font-family: nyt-imperial;
font-size: 16px;
font-style: normal;
font-weight: 400;
line-height: 139%; /* 19.46px */
color: #323232;
text-overflow: ellipsis;
overflow: hidden;
display: -webkit-box;
-webkit-box-orient: vertical;
-webkit-line-clamp: 4;
@media (max-width: 600px) {
font-size: 12px;
line-height: 121%;
}
}
}
.showcase-link-inputs {
.showcase-link-input {
width: 100%;
font-size: 1rem;
background-color: white;
margin-bottom: 12px;
}
.showcase-link-indent {
margin-left: 25px;
}
option {
width: 100%;
}
}
@media (prefers-color-scheme: dark) {
.native-mobile a.showcase-link-container {
background-color: #121212;
color: #f0f0ee;
.showcase-link-excerpt {
color: #c4c4c0;
}
}
}
// Remove all onclicks on imgs for apps to prevent image zoom on click
document.querySelectorAll(‘.showcase-link-image’).forEach((img) => img.removeAttribute(‘onclick’));
When you talk about the margins, the talent gap between Dybantsa, Peterson and Memphis Grizzlies forward Cameron Boozer is razor-thin. You can even add Chicago Bulls forward Caleb Wilson to that group. All four possessed No. 1-pick ability. That made the decision difficult. By the end of the pre-draft process, however, the Jazz had settled on Peterson. Even if they had won the lottery, they would have taken him first.
The reasons? They were blown away by his focus, drive, mentality and fortitude. Peterson had a difficult season at Kansas that raised more questions than a player of his talent should have faced entering the draft. He battled cramping and hamstring issues. Compared with what he has shown off the dribble during summer league, it’s clear he wasn’t fully healthy for much of his college season. Those injuries even led some evaluators to question his love for the game.
But it’s clear Peterson wants to be great. And it’s clear he is entering his rookie season intending to contribute from Day 1. Those intentions came up during the Jazz’s visit to Canton and helped explain why Utah devoted so much time to evaluating the three prospects it considered at No. 2.
Advertisement
“It was a great feeling for me, for them to take the time to come to my city,” Peterson told The Athletic. “It showed that they are the type of organization that I want to go to and play for. They came out to see me and show love. It was a great conversation, and we talked about the fit. It’s a bonus that I already know a lot of the guys.”
The Jazz’s approach following the Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert era has been long and deliberate. They’ve made plenty of smart moves around the edges — acquiring Lauri Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr.; drafting Keyonte George, who has developed into a terrific offensive player; and selecting Ace Bailey, who enjoyed a standout rookie season. But they didn’t have the guy, and everyone knew it.
Now, they believe they have the guy.
They believe Peterson can elevate a team with a playoff ceiling into one capable of competing for championships. They believe he could someday earn a third statue outside Delta Center alongside John Stockton and Karl Malone.
“What I want is to fit in however the team needs me to fit in,” Peterson said. “If they want me to be on the ball or off the ball, I can do whatever the team needs me to do. Whatever I can do to help the team win, whatever that looks like, that’s what I want to do.”
It’s often necessary to take summer league with the proverbial grain of salt. But it’s clear Peterson looks ready to start at shooting guard on opening night. It’s not just the scoring, the efficient shooting or the passing that has stood out. It’s how effortlessly he gets wherever he wants on the floor. That’s rare for a rookie.
Most NBA players don’t reach that level of comfort until their second summer league after a full season in the league. Take the Memphis game, for example. The Grizzlies started four NBA players, including All-Rookie selection Cedric Coward. Peterson wasn’t feasting on fringe talent. When Memphis put Javon Small on him, Peterson simply backed him into the paint and scored over him. When Boozer switched onto him, Peterson blew by him and created an open look for a teammate.
Advertisement
Nearly every time he wanted to during Salt Lake City Summer League, Peterson created an advantage off the dribble. You simply don’t see that from a rookie. Mitchell posted excellent scoring numbers during his first summer league in 2017, but even he didn’t make it look this easy.
“He’s certainly played well so far,” Ainge said. “I think what we’re most excited for is that Darryn is going to help the program grow. I thought he handled his interviews after games well. And that’s the maturity I saw when we talked with him.”
For context, the Jazz have been searching for their next franchise superstar ever since Stockton and Malone. They’ve had great players. Deron Williams reached a level at which he was an Olympian and one of the three best point guards in basketball. But his peak proved to be short, and his time in Utah ended with a blockbuster trade to the New Jersey Nets.
Mitchell was electric and gave Jazz fans some of their best moments since Stockton and Malone. Few will forget his performance against Oklahoma City in the 2018 playoffs. He was the best player in a series that included prime Russell Westbrook and Paul George. Doing it as a rookie made it even more remarkable. But Mitchell and the Jazz eventually drifted apart, and the relationship ended poorly. Since then, Mitchell has become a perennial All-NBA selection.
That experience reinforced how important this draft was for Utah. The Jazz wanted to be certain they were drafting not only elite talent but someone who genuinely fit the organization — and someone who wanted to be there.
Peterson’s biggest splash this week centered around the reminder on his phone to feed his dog, Denim. He also admitted he took his matchup with Boozer personally. Everything about him suggests someone eager to get on the floor and play basketball. And he has clearly heard the questions that followed him from Kansas and wants to answer them.
“I want to be dad of the year,” Peterson said about Denim. “I know what I came here to do. I came here to play ball. All I need is a place to sleep and eat and I’m good. I just want to be in the gym as much as possible, and take care of my body off the court.”
Advertisement
Peterson carried that confidence into Las Vegas on Thursday night, finishing with 24 points and three assists. His eight turnovers reflected the rookie’s inevitable learning curve, but did little to diminish the flashes that have the Jazz so optimistic about the future.
Watching Peterson and imagining his fit in Utah, it’s easy to see a path to the playoffs this season, even in a loaded Western Conference and even after the Jazz traded Walker Kessler to the Los Angeles Lakers.
a.showcase-link-container {
display: flex;
gap: 20px;
flex-direction: column;
align-items: center;
padding: 20px 0px;
border-top: 1px solid rgba(150, 150, 147, 0.4);
border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(150, 150, 147, 0.4);
text-decoration: none;
color: #121212;
cursor: pointer;
.showcase-link {
font-family: nyt-franklin;
font-size: 14px;
font-style: normal;
font-weight: 700;
line-height: 13.8px;
letter-spacing: 1.1px;
text-transform: uppercase;
}
.showcase-link-image {
border-radius: 8px;
object-fit: cover;
width: 200px;
height: 150px;
margin: 0px;
@media (max-width: 600px) {
width: 120px;
height: 120px;
}
}
.showcase-link-inner-content {
display: flex;
flex-direction: row;
gap: 16px;
width: 100%;
}
.showcase-link-text-content {
display: flex;
flex-direction: column;
gap: 20px;
justify-content: center;
@media (max-width: 600px) {
gap: 8px;
}
}
.showcase-link-title {
font-family: nyt-cheltenham;
font-size: 24px;
font-style: normal;
font-weight: 500;
line-height: 120%; /* 24px */
letter-spacing: 0.01px;
text-overflow: ellipsis;
overflow: hidden;
display: -webkit-box;
-webkit-box-orient: vertical;
-webkit-line-clamp: 3;
@media (max-width: 600px) {
font-size: 16px;
}
}
.showcase-link-excerpt {
font-family: nyt-imperial;
font-size: 16px;
font-style: normal;
font-weight: 400;
line-height: 139%; /* 19.46px */
color: #323232;
text-overflow: ellipsis;
overflow: hidden;
display: -webkit-box;
-webkit-box-orient: vertical;
-webkit-line-clamp: 4;
@media (max-width: 600px) {
font-size: 12px;
line-height: 121%;
}
}
}
.showcase-link-inputs {
.showcase-link-input {
width: 100%;
font-size: 1rem;
background-color: white;
margin-bottom: 12px;
}
.showcase-link-indent {
margin-left: 25px;
}
option {
width: 100%;
}
}
@media (prefers-color-scheme: dark) {
.native-mobile a.showcase-link-container {
background-color: #121212;
color: #f0f0ee;
.showcase-link-excerpt {
color: #c4c4c0;
}
}
}
// Remove all onclicks on imgs for apps to prevent image zoom on click
document.querySelectorAll(‘.showcase-link-image’).forEach((img) => img.removeAttribute(‘onclick’));
Peterson and George have already formed a bond. During practice, George will often pull Peterson aside, encourage him to stay aggressive and point out reads he could make. Both are comfortable with or without the ball, a combination that could make them one of the league’s more dynamic young backcourts.
With Markkanen and Jackson anchoring the frontcourt, Peterson’s and George’s shot creation should make life much easier for the big men.
And that could make the Jazz a dangerous team this season.
“I think me and Keyonte are going to be a great backcourt,” Peterson said. “He’s four years in, and I’m coming in as a rookie. He’s helped me out a lot already. He’s already where I want to be. He holds me accountable. We have the same trainer, so we work on the same things. It’s great already having him as a teammate.”