With March Madness in full swing, NBA teams are starting to round out their evaluations of how prospects play in high-leverage situations. There have been plenty of talking points regarding the 2026 draft class, with few players commanding as much attention as Kansas’ Darryn Peterson.
Peterson came into this year as the presumed top player in the draft, but an inconsistent year and questions around his health and approach makes what was thought to be an iron-clad grip on a top-three pick a bit more of a question, writes Kevin O’Connor for Yahoo Sports.
O’Connor notes that, in addition to getting little offensive help from his teammates, especially from the perimeter, the 6’5″ shooting guard was limited by the hamstring injury that plagued him throughout the season.
“I was hurt for the majority of the year,” Peterson said. “I went through some really bad stuff. I wasn’t really myself for real until like the end of the year.”
O’Connor also adds that, in addition to his lethal shooting ability, Peterson brings a good defensive playmaking skillset and is adept at drawing fouls.
The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie echoes the sentiment, saying that Peterson could end up anywhere from one to five on his board, but also notes that he has questions about the way the star guard was used by Kansas coach Bill Self, which was mostly in an off-ball capacity.
We have more notes from the top of the 2026 Draft:
- AJ Dybantsa, out of BYU, appears to have the most solid claim to the number one spot at the current moment, writes ESPN’s Jeremy Woo. Woo notes that while the talented forward has had questions arise about his ball-handling and defense, his aggression and decision-making as a passer improved greatly throughout the season, creating the impression of a well-rounded 6’9″ scorer with major upside.
- UCONN’s Braylon Mullins is looking more like someone who could be a top returner to school this season, Woo writes. The sweet-shooting guard’s season got off to a delayed start as he dealt with an ankle injury, and Woo says he never quite found the offensive consistency teams might be looking for. Vecenie adds that scouts are wondering if he’s more a good shooter than an elite shooter. He still has a chance to solidify his 2026 draft stock, but Woo says that with NIL money and the allure of a perceived weaker 2027 class, Woo says that returning to school could end up being a beneficial move long-term.
- Allen Graves, from Santa Clara, was not expected to be a significant player in the 2026 draft, but he has impressed with his defense and passing, according to Woo. He may still be best served by spending another year in college and working on his jumper, but Woo notes that the 6’9″ forward has fans in the NBA and a strong pre-draft process could put him in position to be drafted this season.
Dybantsa. Boozer. Peterson.