Darryn Peterson’s lone season at Kansas raised questions, more so about his availability than his ability. He could put those concerns to bed early in his NBA career.
After explaining in the lead-up to the draft that doctors determined his cramping issues in college were due to him taking high doses of creatine, Peterson finally took the court again on Saturday.
It didn’t take the guard long to showcase his intriguing two-way impact, a 94-foot skill set the Utah Jazz couldn’t pass on at No. 2 overall. In the opening 91 seconds of the Jazz’s 103-102 overtime win over the Atlanta Hawks in the Salt Lake City Summer League at University of Utah’s Jon M. Huntsman Center, Peterson recorded his first bucket, rebound and block.
He wound up with 28 points in 27 minutes on 11-of-21 shooting — including a 4-of-7 clip from beyond the arc — 5 rebounds and 2 blocks.
Peterson knocked down a pair of late-game 3s, one in the fourth quarter while the Hawks were making their push to force OT and another in the two-minute extra frame that broke the tie and helped propel Utah to victory in his Summer League debut.
Second-year forward Ace Bailey, whom the Jazz took No. 5 overall in 2025, notched 10 points and six boards in 20 minutes before leaving with right back spasms in the second half.
Peterson’s first touch ended with a layup in the game’s infancy. He used a screen to get by Atlanta’s Kingston Flemings, a Houston product and the No. 8 overall pick in this year’s draft, and attacked the rim for a quick two.
On Peterson’s first defensive possession, he pulled down a rebound. Moments later, after committing a turnover, Peterson rejected Flemings with a chase-down block.
Because Peterson was limited this past season in Lawrence, leaving some games early and sitting out others a result of his various ailments, his effort was scrutinized. But, with a full tank on Saturday, he was energized, active and all over the floor, hustling for loose balls and following up his own misses.
The only blemishes on his stat line were his eight turnovers. At times, he was too ambitious; however, the Jazz will live with the level of confidence Peterson ushered to the hardwood. He definitely wasn’t gun-shy. Peterson continued to play make and fire away.
Early in the second quarter, as Utah began pulling away for the first time in the contest, Peterson collected an offensive rebound and went back up with it, sinking a floater.
In the third quarter, he drilled a James Harden-esque step-back 3. As was the case in the game’s first moments, Bailey followed up with a basket of his own, offering Jazz fans a glimpse of their future. Cody Williams is part of that, too. The third-year forward and 2024 No. 10 overall pick piled up 17 points on the night.
The Hawks nearly extended the game again in overtime. But Flemings’ foot being on the line for what initially looked like a game-tying 3 proved to be the difference in Atlanta’s one-point defeat. Flemings shot just 4 of 16 yet demonstrated his fair share of promise with 14 points and nine assists.
Altogether, the Jazz and Hawks stitched together some popcorn-worthy Summer League action, which, as Peterson said in his on-court postgame interview, was his first game since Kansas lost in the second round of the NCAA tournament.
“It felt great,” Peterson said. “I hadn’t played since my last game in March. Playing another basketball game, this is what I love to do.”
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