Kansas Jayhawks star Darryn Peterson may be clear about when and where he wants to land in the pre-draft activities. Peterson is battling for the first overall selection with BYU Cougars star AJ Dybantsa in the 2026 NBA Draft.
Unlike Dybantsa, who has visited both the Washington Wizards and Utah Jazz, the teams that will select first and second in the draft, Peterson has only visited the Wizards. He seems to be prioritizing Washington’s first overall selection.
Meanwhile, many mock draft boards suggest the Wizards are expected to pick Dybantsa, leaving Peterson for the Jazz to select at No. 2.
ESPN’s Jeremy Woo released his latest NBA draft projections, expecting the Utah Jazz, valued at $4.1 billion per Forbes, to pick Peterson second overall. This is despite Peterson only showing interest in the Wizards during the pre-draft process.
According to Woo, Peterson’s health troubles in the 2025-26 college basketball season, missing almost a dozen games due to severe cramping and other issues, are not considered major issues. Woo shared why Peterson and the Jazz could be a good match.
“Peterson would make for a strong match with the Jazz if available, immediately bolstering their offense and slotting in alongside Keyonte George as Utah pushes for playoff contention,” Woo wrote in his column. “Cameron Boozer is also held in high regard by the Jazz, but rival teams have long been operating as if Dybantsa and Peterson will be the first two names off the board.”
Woo also mentioned that the Wizards are hoping to sign Trae Young to a long-term deal, and that could really affect how the franchise approaches the 2026 NBA draft.
Why Darryn Peterson Might Have Opted Only To Visit Wizards
Despite mock draft boards stacking in AJ Dybantsa’s favor to get picked first overall, Darryn Peterson is making a statement of his own.
Peterson has only worked out with Washington by choice. The Jazz and the Memphis Grizzlies pick second and third, but it seems the Kansas guard is confident about his landing spot.
According to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne, Peterson’s action doesn’t mean he’s not interested in Utah or Memphis. It’s just that he believes he should be the first overall pick.
“It’s more a statement that Darryn Peterson believes he should go No. 1 overall. That’s what he’s focused on,” Shelburne reported on SportsCenter. “He’d be happy to go to the Washington Wizards. And if for some reason they didn’t take him, he feels pretty confident that he would not slip past Utah at No. 2.”
It remains to be seen how the draft pans out, but it is clear that the Wizards have a tough decision on their hands, selecting between two top college players.
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