By JAMES MADDEN
Kansas saw its start guard, Darryn Peterson, come off the board early on in Tuesday’s NBA Draft, with the Ohio native being selected with the No. 2 overall pick by the Utah Jazz.
Peterson, who battled cramping issues this season for the Jayhawks, will join a list of players coached by Bill Self to be drafted by the Jazz.
Self addressed media members on Tuesday night following the selection of his freshman phenom.
“I think he’s going to a perfect fit for them, based on personnel, so he’ll have the ball in his hands,” Self said Tuesday. “I’m really excited for him. I’m excited for his family.”
Self also said that Peterson is motivated regardless of the circumstance and that he shouldn’t feel slighted by falling to the No. 2 pick.
“I think it’s ridiculous to think you’re slighted to go No. 2 instead of No. 1 in the NBA Draft as a freshman,” he said. “I do know him well enough to know that anything he possibly can use as motivation in the future.”
Self also mentioned on Tuesday that when the Wizards, who selected BYU’s AJ Dybantsa with the first pick, play the Jazz next season, it’ll be must-see TV for basketball fans around the country.
In addition to Peterson being selected second, nine of the first ten picks in this year’s NBA Draft came from this season’s loaded freshman class.
With Peterson being selected inside the top-two this season, incoming freshman and top-ranked recruit Tyran Stokes will look to follow the footsteps of the talented guard next summer following his freshman year at Kansas. According to NBADraftRoom.com, Stokes is the projected No. 2 pick in the 2027 NBA Draft.
The official top ten is listed below.
- Washington Wizards – AJ Dybantsa (BYU)
- Utah Jazz – Darryn Peterson (Kansas)
- Memphis Grizzlies – Cameron Boozer (Duke)
- Chicago Bulls – Caleb Wilson (North Carolina)
- Los Angeles Clippers – Keaton Wagler (Illinois)
- Brooklyn Nets – Mikel Brown Jr. (Louisville)
- Sacramento Kings – Darius Acuff Jr. (Arkansas)
- Atlanta Hawks – Kingston Flemings (Houston)
- Dallas Mavericks – Morez Johnson Jr. (Michigan)
- Milwaukee Bucks – Brayden Burries (Arizona)
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