The conversation regarding who will go No. 1 overall in the 2026 NBA Draft has persisted since the beginning of the college season. Although BYU star AJ Dybantsa had a more successful campaign in the Big 12, he did not separate himself enough to rule out Darryn Peterson from going first in June.
While Dybantsa is considered more of a sure thing, scouts are enamored with Peterson’s raw talent and the “what if” factor, assuming the cramping issues that hampered his freshman year won’t return. He is viewed as one of the most talented prospects in recent history and potentially a generational one.
In a recent episode of NBA Today featuring Brian Windhorst, Malika Andrews, and Kendrick Perkins, Perkins offered an eyebrow-raising comparison to Peterson.
“When it comes to his talent, his pace, and his shooting, will translate easily to the NBA,” he said. “He’s good in the pick and roll, knows how to make the right reads. Low-end? Bradley Beal. High-end? Kobe Bryant.”
“Low end, Bradley Beal. High end, Kobe Bryant.”@KendrickPerkins on at Darryn Peterson’s NBA potential 👀 pic.twitter.com/UavjhZTCde
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) May 22, 2026
Obviously, a bright-eyed 19-year-old has no business being compared to Kobe Bryant at this stage of his career. However, it shows how highly some people think of Peterson if he reaches his maximum potential.
Across 24 games in Lawrence, Peterson averaged an impressive 20.2 points per game on 43.8% shooting. He was one of the most prolific scorers in the country and had several games that he single-handedly won for the Jayhawks with jaw-dropping offensive performances.
Perkins making this comparison is particularly interesting, considering he was the starting center on two Boston Celtics teams that faced Bryant’s Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals. He knows first-hand just how difficult it was to contain the Black Mamba.
When it comes to Peterson’s shot creation and shot-making ability on the offensive end, there is no player in this draft class who rivals him. The question is whether the Washington Wizards are willing to take a chance on his injury history following a cramping-riddled freshman season at KU.
This is not the first time someone has compared Peterson’s game to Bryant’s. If Peterson becomes even 75% of the player Bryant was, whichever team selects him will likely be thrilled with that decision next month.
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