Darryn Peterson won’t soon forget that the Washington Wizards passed on him with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
“I can’t go back and change anything now. Obviously, I wanted to be the No. 1 pick, but I went No. 2,” Peterson told reporters Tuesday after being drafted by the Utah Jazz, per Yahoo Sports. “So, now I’m prepared to go to Utah and get to work.
“There’s always been a chip on my shoulder, so I wouldn’t say it added anything else. But now, it will always be in my mind for my whole career.”
Washington took BYU standout AJ Dybantsa with the top selection.
Peterson’s lone reported visit before the NBA draft was with the Wizards as he opted not to meet with other teams.
But the Kansas standout is excited to join the Jazz, and help put the franchise back on track.
“I’m going to play with a great group of guys. … I think our games complement each other well,” Peterson said, according to Jazz on SI. “I think we’re going to be ready to go win now.”
Peterson averaged 20.2 points, 4.2 boards, 1.6 assists, and 1.4 steals across 24 appearances during his lone campaign with the Jayhawks. He made the Big 12’s All-Freshman Team and was an All-Big 12 second-team selection.
Utah finished 22-60 last season and missed the playoffs for the fourth straight campaign.
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