Darryn Peterson's NBA Draft Hype is Rapidly Fading - Here's Why

The 2026 NBA Draft is going to be one of the most talked-about in decades, as it has something special about it: no clear No. 1 pick.

While that can sometimes lead to less hype, that’s only when the top of the class is seen as weak, or when there isn’t a prospect who could shape a franchise.

That’s not what we have with the upcoming NBA draft. We have several prospects who could have gone No. 1 overall in previous classes, but they’re all stuck together in a deep prospect pool, with everything jockeying for position in what was one of the best freshman classes in college basketball history.

And for large parts of that college basketball campaign, Kansas Jayhawks freshman Darryn Peterson was the consensus No. 1 pick heading into the world of pros.

An all-around dynamo who could score at will, Peterson was turning heads left and right at the start of his Jayhawks tenure, looking more polished than some starters in the NBA.

Yet, as the season went on, that hype started to fade, with numerous missed games, a regression of efficiency, and an overall unknown when it comes to his passion for the sport as a whole.

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In his latest article for The Athletic, longtime NBA analyst John Hollinger did something that seemed inconceivable a few months ago: Peterson is out of his top three heading into the draft, now sitting in fourth.

“Peterson came into the year as the No. 1 player on most draft boards, but his injury-riddled season at Kansas left a lot of questions,” wrote Hollinger. “In particular, the minutes he played didn't really showcase him as a lead creator despite a high scoring rate. His stat line is more of an elite 3-and-D guy, which obviously still has value, but that would be a slightly disappointing outcome this high in the draft.”

A year ago, Peterson was viewed as a player who could be the engine of a team, not only a plus-defender but also the primary scorer on a future championship team.

Now, though, following a confusing Jayhawks season, Peterson may be viewed as a Robin (an extremely talented Robin) instead of a Batman.

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This story was originally published May 9, 2026 at 2:23 PM.