NBA
Kansas’ Darryn Peterson is projected to be the first overall pick in ESPN’s first 2026 mock draft
Zach Wolpin is an NBA and NFL expert who's been betting on the league for over three years now. Wolpin has been a fan of the NBA and has been watching for a decade and a half. He covers the latest news and stories surrounding the league daily. His passion in life is watching sports and being able to share that through his sports writing. He has written about the NBA and other sports leagues through various media outlets over the years like Sir Charles In Charge, G-Men HQ, and TAP into South Plainfield. Before he became an NBA News Writer, Wolpin attended Montclair State University where he graduated in 2021. He studied Sports Media and Writing while in school.
All posts by Zach WolpinUpdated33 minutes ago on November 19, 2025
On Tuesday evening, the Kansas Jayhawks had a neutral-site game vs. the Blue Devils. Kansas was down 41-33 at halftime and lost the game, 78-66. The Jayhawks are 3-2 this season under head coach Bill Self.
Against Duke on Tuesday. Kansas was without its top player and one of the best in the country. Freshman guard Darryn Peterson was out due to a lingering hamstring injury. Kansas wants Peterson to be healthy later in the year. That’s why they are giving him extra time to rest and recover. In ESPN’s first 2026 NBA mock draft, Kansas’ Darryn Peterson was the first overall pick.
Will Darryn Peterson be the first overall pick in June 2026?
Darryn Peterson Projected No. 1 Overall In ESPN’s First 2026 NBA Mock Draft https://t.co/mEiFN1FBXv
— RealGM (@RealGM) November 18, 2025
Coming out of the high school of 2025, Darryn Peterson was the #1 recruit. He chose to take his talent to Kansas to play under a well-respected coach, Bill Self. The Jayhawks last won a national championship in 2022. In 2025-26, Darryn Peterson has played in two of Kansas’ first five games to begin the year. He is currently dealing with a lingering hamstring injury. Peterson was unavailable for a massive blue-blood matchup vs. Duke on Tuesday evening.
Recently, ESPN shared its first 2026 NBA mock draft. Kansas’ Darryn Peterson was at the top of that list. ESPN draft analyst Jeremy Woo has Peterson being selected by the Brooklyn Nets with the first overall pick. Through his first two games at the collegiate level, Darryn Peterson is averaging 21.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 2.0 steals, and 1.0 blocks. Woo noted that Darryn Peterson is a “dynamic three-level scoring, impressive physical tools, defensive tenacity, and competitive intangibles.”
#Kansas SG Darryn Peterson (6-6, 205, FR)
Exceptional scoring display from arguably the best guard prospect of the last decade — a special mix of off-the-dribble shotmaking & driving prowess. All-NBA defensive toolkit & IQ.
26 PTS (9-15 FG, 6-10 3P) in his collegiate debut. pic.twitter.com/1SZipxLa3Q
— Mohamed (@mcfNBA) October 25, 2025
Darryn Peterson is a six-foot-five, 205-pound guard. He has noticeable athleticism for his size and appears to be one of the most complete freshmen in this class. That’s why ESPN has Peterson projected to be the #1 pick in June 2026. Darryn Peterson can score at all three levels and has an incredibly high basketball IQ. He has an elite ability to score the basketball and has not been shy in his two games this season. In his first collegiate games, Darryn Peterson was 7-11 from the field and 3-7 from beyond the arc for 21 points.
The 18-year-old is shooting .500% from beyond the arc in his first two games. Despite the small sample size, Peterson has a knack for knocking down three-pointers. It’s mid-November, and there is still plenty of debate about who will be the #1 overall pick in the 2026 NBA draft. BYU’s A.J. Dybansta and Duke’s Cameron Boozer are in the running to be the first overall selection. As of now, ESPN’s first mock draft has Kansas’ Darryn Peterson being selected first overall by Brooklyn.
