Darryn Peterson lights up Salt Lake City Summer League in Utah Jazz debut
Jul 4, 2026, 8:16 PM
SALT LAKE CITY — The Huntsman Center was a sleeping giant on Saturday afternoon as Cam Boozer and the Memphis Grizzlies crushed the Oklahoma City Thunder.
As that game concluded, empty seats began to fill and anticipation grew in the Utes’ home arena.
That anticipation culminated in an explosion of cheers as the Utah Jazz took the court, led by none other than rookie guard Darryn Peterson.
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Darryn Peterson Shows Out In Salt Lake City Summer League Debut
Peterson’s first game with Utah draped across his chest was all that fans and the front office could’ve hoped for, and then some.
The first possession of the game for the Jazz ended with a layup from Peterson, and the points seemingly never stopped rolling in. The rookie was the team’s leading scorer at the end of each quarter.
The positive signs weren’t only when he had the ball in his hands, though. He finished with two blocks, but his defensive impact extended far past the box score. He often matched up with Atlanta guard Kingston Flemings, who finished the night shooting 4/16 from the field.
Darryn Peterson and Cody Williams each with a big block early. Good defensive activity from both.
— Chandler Holt (@CHoltSports) July 4, 2026
What was maybe most impressive was his efforts in the fourth quarter and in overtime. He scored 10 points in his last 8:35 on the court, and willed the Jazz to a win with some big plays late.
Peterson finished with 28 points, five rebounds, two assists, and two blocks. He shot 52 percent from the floor and 57 percent from three.
The only real blemish on his performance was eight turnovers. However, many of those are shared fault, if not totally on teammates for dropping well-placed passes.
Peterson is the first Jazzman since Donovan Mitchell to score 20+ points in his SLC Summer League debut, eclipsing Mitchell’s 23-point mark from the 2017 event.
Ace Bailey, Cody Williams Shine Against Atlanta Hawks
The performances of Cody Williams and Ace Bailey almost went under the radar as a result of the hype built around Peterson. But they still came to play. That trio of Jazz players were likely the three best players on either side in Saturday’s contest.
Bailey only played 20 minutes, but still finished with 10 points, six rebounds and two stocks. The sophomore forward was ruled out for the rest of the game early in the second half with back spasms.
Williams played the most minutes on the team at 34 and finished with 17 points, five rebounds, one assist, and three stocks.
Both of the forwards looked to have added noticeable weight so far in the offseason and used it to their advantage to generate easy looks. Williams specifically threw down a pair of poster dunks that caused fans in the arena to jump to their feet.
Easily the dunk of the day.pic.twitter.com/vVxNEMKMQQ https://t.co/7DirAGYUz8
— Chandler Holt (@CHoltSports) July 4, 2026
About Darryn Peterson
Peterson, born in Northeast Ohio, quickly rose through the ranks as one of the best basketball prospects in the country.
He played prep basketball at Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy in his home state before moving to West Virginia and then California for his junior and senior years.
On November 1, 2024, Peterson made his commitment to the University of Kansas.
In his lone year with the Jayhawks, Peterson averaged 20.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.6 assists on 43.8/38.2/82.6 shooting splits.
RELATED: Austin Ainge, Utah Jazz unfazed by Darryn Peterson injury history
In 2026, the Utah Jazz selected Peterson with the No. 2 overall pick, tied for the highest selection in the franchises history.
Salt Lake City Summer League History
The annual showcase of both rookies and young talent in the NBA is returning to Utah for the 11th time.
The modern iteration of the event debuted in 2015 with the Rocky Mountain Revue moniker, a nod to the pro-am roots of a similar event that was held in the late 1980s, 1990s, and into the 2000s.
The event was rebranded to the Utah Jazz Summer League in 2017, and changed once again in 2019 to the Salt Lake City Summer League.
Memphis has competed in the event for seven straight years. 2026 will make it eight in a row. OKC will reach its fifth year in a row this summer.
The list of notable names to hoop in Utah in early July is a long one. Aside from the obvious Jazz stars over the last decade, Jaren Jackson Jr., Ben Simmons, Trae Young, Jayson Tatum, Chet Holmgren, and more have all competed in the SLC Summer League.
