The Utah Jazz’s No. 2 pick, Darryn Peterson, is showing plenty of promise so far in the NBA Summer League, which is only adding to the hype surrounding him, including comparisons to a young Kobe Bryant.
However, veteran analyst Colin Cowherd shared major red flags about the Jazz’s new star heading into his rookie season.
Colin Cowherd Issues Warning About Darryn Peterson Before Rookie Season
In Thursday’s Summer League game’s 92-88 loss against AJ Dybantsa’s Washington Wizards, Peterson showed promising flashes, dropping 24 points while adding 3 assists.
Before this. Peterson recorded 25 points, 12 assists, and 2 steals while shooting 53% from the field in the 109-100 win against the Memphis Grizzlies.
Having frequently described himself as a “Kobe guy,” the Jazz rookie’s early performances have fueled comparisons to the NBA legend, thanks to his scoring instincts and confidence.
Cowherd is also a big believer in Peterson’s potential and had some good compliments about the rookie on “The Herd” this week.
“Peterson’s going to be a great scorer,” Cowherd said. “I worry about the hamstring, creatine stuff. I worry that he kind of plays in the silo. It’s summer league, so let’s not go crazy. It looks like when I watch Peterson, this is where I said, I remember Doug Gottlieb said, ‘Watch this kid play.'”
Colin Cowherd says Darren Peterson looked like an 18-year-old Kobe within three possessions 👀 but he’s also throwing up red flags on selfishness and fit before anyone gets too excited @colincowherd pic.twitter.com/8OdaGAeVCc
— The Volume Basketball (@volumebball) July 10, 2026
“Literally three possessions with Darryn Peterson. I said, ‘Oh, that’s what Kobe looked like at 18 years old.’ I mean literally looked like Kobe. And so there’s no question the kid’s talented.”
However, Peterson struggled to consistently find his rhythm against Washington’s defense, which applied relentless full-court pressure, whether he was handling the ball or playing off it.
Peterson’s ability to put points on the board is already evident, but some remain unconvinced that Utah should hand him primary point guard duties this early.
Cowherd also pointed to other areas that need improvement.
“But there’s, we know this, are you a good teammate?” Cowherd said. “Are you good analytically? Do you share the ball? Do you have self-awareness? Are you willing to be physical?”
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Cowherd’s take came after Peterson finished Thursday’s game with 3 assists and 8 turnovers, resulting in a 0.38 assist-to-turnover ratio. The numbers reinforced questions about his tendency to force difficult plays rather than find open teammates.
Peterson also committed 9 fouls against Washington, so it’s evident that his talent and scoring upside are undeniable, but he is still a work in progress.
Improving his shot selection, decision-making, and awareness in crowded situations will be key moving forward.
