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Kansas star Darryn Peterson declares for 2026 NBA Draft following injury-plagued season
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- Kansas star Darryn Peterson declares for 2026 NBA Draft following injury-plagued season
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Kansas freshman Darryn Peterson is declaring for the 2026 NBA Draft, he announced on social media Friday. Peterson is one of the three leading candidates to be the No. 1 pick in June, alongside BYU freshman AJ Dybantsa and Duke freshman Cameron Boozer .
Peterson entered the season as the favorite to be the No. 1 pick following a historic senior high school season at Prolific Prep. However, injuries plagued him this year at Kansas. The 19-year-old dealt with full-body cramps, ankle and hamstring injuries and an illness, each causing him to miss time.
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Despite this, Peterson averaged 20.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.4 steals on .438/.382/.826 shooting splits across 24 appearances.
Darryn Peterson declares for 2026 NBA Draft following rocky season
Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images
Peterson's medicals at the NBA Draft combine in Chicago will play a significant role in teams' evaluation processes leading up to the June 23 draft. The 6-foot-6 guard was an explosive athlete in high school but looked limited for most of this season at Kansas.
ESPN projected Peterson as the No. 1 pick in its latest mock draft, while The Athletic and Bleacher Report both have him going No. 2. More than a handful of NBA teams entered a heated tank race this season due to the strength of the players at the top of the 2026 class.
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The Washington Wizards , Indiana Pacers and Brooklyn Nets have the top odds (14.0 percent each) of landing the No. 1 pick. Meanwhile, the Utah Jazz and Sacramento Kings each have an 11.5 percent chance. The Memphis Grizzlies have a 9.0 percent chance, while the Atlanta Hawks (via New Orleans Pelicans ) have a 6.8 percent chance, and the Dallas Mavericks have a 6.7 percent chance.
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