The Utah Jazz used the No. 2 pick in the 2026 NBA draft on Tuesday to select Kansas guard Darryn Peterson, giving the franchise a scorer it believes can fit into its young backcourt. Peterson said, “It all paid off.”
Darryn Peterson Joins Utah Jazz
Peterson averaged 20.2 points per game for Kansas last season, and Utah is optimistic he can pair with Keyonte George for years to come. George finished last season at 23.6 points and 6.1 assists per game, which gives the Jazz a clear idea of how the two guards can share the ball and scoring load.
The selection also came after Peterson missed 11 games and made early exits from several others because of mysterious medical issues. After the season, doctors determined his severe cramping issues were caused by using high doses of creatine, and Utah team sources told that their research into the issue did not raise red flags.
Draft History For The Jazz
Tuesday’s pick matched the highest draft position in franchise history. The Jazz also held the No. 2 pick in the 1980 draft and used it on Darrell Griffith, who won Rookie of the Year and spent his entire 10-year NBA career in Utah.
Peterson was the only prospect he visited with before the draft, even though the Jazz had their chance to bring him in during the pre-draft process. The fit now turns on whether his scoring translates cleanly beside George and whether Utah’s medical evaluation proves durable over the long haul.
AJ Dybantsa and Washington
Washington took BYU forward AJ Dybantsa with the No. 1 pick, pushing Peterson to No. 2 and leaving Utah with the top selection in its own lane. Ace Bailey’s progress after last year’s No. 5 pick gave the Jazz another recent point of reference for what a high-end rookie can look like in Utah.
