Get to know Utah Jazz guard Darryn Peterson
Jun 23, 2026, 7:48 PM | Updated: Jun 24, 2026, 10:11 am
SALT LAKE CITY — A lifelong dream came true as NBA commissioner Adam Silver stepped to the podium and announced:
“With the second pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, the Utah Jazz select… Darryn Peterson from Kansas University!”
From Canton, Ohio, to Kansas, and now Salt Lake City, Peterson’s journey to become a top pick in the NBA Draft culminated at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn on Tuesday.
RELATED: Jazz select Darryn Peterson with second pick in 2026 NBA Draft
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Darryn Peterson’s Path To The Utah Jazz
Where is Darryn Peterson from?
In Canton, Ohio, on January 17, 2007, Natatia Peterson and Darryl Peterson II welcomed their second child to the family.
Both the sports culture in the Northeast Ohio area and the athletic history in his family sparked a love for basketball that only grew stronger as he got older.
Peterson’s father played high school basketball in Cincinnati and went on to attend the University of Akron, where he played four seasons and finished as one of the program’s top-25 all-time leading scorers. Connections to those early 2000’s Zips teams would shape Peterson’s path down the line.
With a ball put into his hands from a young age, Peterson’s natural talent and work ethic shone through. From as early as second grade, he played up two years in AAU leagues.
Peterson saw his first small glimpse of the national spotlight in seventh grade as basketball highlights channel HoopDiamonds posted a video of Peterson scoring 92 points across two games at the NEO Youth Elite camp in Cleveland.
Where did Darryn Peterson attend high school?
Coming out of middle school, Peterson enrolled in Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy instead of the school closer to his home for a few reasons. One of which was that CVCA’s basketball coach was Matt Futch, who played with Peterson’s father at Akron.
He spent the first two years of his prep career with the Royals, averaging 26.1 points as a freshman and 31 points as a sophomore.
Peterson’s first two seasons created a buzz that extended far past the Midwest. He started to get opportunities that would expand his reach as a prospect and potentially open more doors for his future, and he welcomed them with open arms.
The first move came before his junior year of high school. Peterson packed his bags and moved to West Virginia to attend Huntington Prep School. The likes of Andrew Wiggins, Keldon Johnson, Miles Bridges, and more all attended Huntington Prep.
One year later, a door opened for Peterson, and he once again took the opportunity head-on. This time, the next step was waiting for him across the country. Peterson moved to Napa, California, to attend Prolific Prep.
With averages of 30.4 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 7.4 assists as a senior, playing against some of the toughest prep competition in the country, Peterson had the pick of the litter for his likely single college season. With dozens of offers on the table, he narrowed his choice down to eight on July 31, 2024. Those eight were Arizona State, Kansas, Kansas State, Kentucky, Louisville, Ohio State, USC, and Washington.
On November 1, Peterson put on the Jayhawks hat and cemented the choice for his next step.
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Darryn Peterson with the Kansas Jayhawks
Peterson’s one season in Kansas didn’t go as expected. He entered the college season as the favorite to be the No. 1 overall pick in the upcoming draft, but a slew of injuries and off-the-court concerns allowed BYU wing AJ Dybantsa to take that title from him.
A lingering hamstring injury, a quad injury, a sprained ankle, and full-body cramps limited Peterson, but his talent and potential were too glaring to fully dampen.
He averaged 20.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.6 assists on good shooting splits and was clearly Kansas’ best player when he was on the floor. Most nights, he was the best player on the court for either team.
Peterson and the Jayhawks’ season came to an end in the second round of the NCAA Tournament at the hands of the St. John’s Red Storm.
In the span of five years, the pursuit of basketball dreams took Peterson from Northeast Ohio to West Virginia to California and then to Kansas. After a quick stop in New York, Peterson is now headed to Utah.
More Darryn Peterson Quick-Hits
As the newest member of the Utah Jazz family, many fans may want to get to know the person beyond the prospect.
Peterson is the second-oldest sibling in his family. His older brother chose the football route and recently signed an undrafted free agent contract with the Los Angeles Rams. He also has two younger siblings named Daylon and Dior.
Peterson’s family is close with the family of CJ McCollum. The Pelicans guard served as somewhat of a mentor for Peterson growing up. That relationship was highlighted in a 2025 Andscape article.
The list of players that Peterson has said he’s modeled parts of his game after is lengthy, and similarities in playstyle can be seen in every example. The list consists of names like Devin Booker, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luka Doncic, Damian Lillard, Kobe Bryant and more. In an interview during the pre-draft process, Peterson described himself as a “film junkie.”
