With the NBA draft slowly approaching at the end of next month, eyes turned to the top prospects. Teams endured either an entire season of losing or a smart trade that allotted them a higher pick.
Kansas star Darryn Peterson became the favorite of many analysts. Now, one NBA commentator bestowed him with the ultimate compliment.
NBA Analyst Kendrick Perkins Compares Darryn Peterson to Kobe Bryant
Since the time he set foot in Lawrence, many envisioned that Peterson’s Big 12 stay would last just one season. Perkins, an ESPN commentator, extolled Peterson’s virtues.
Perk on what executives are saying about Darryn Peterson:
“Low end, Bradley Beal. High end, Kobe Bryant. That’s how skilled he is” pic.twitter.com/Sd5eW3cBOn
— Oh No He Didn’t (@ohnohedidnt24) May 22, 2026
“I talked to two executives who have Top 5 picks. Low end, Bradley Beal. High-end, Kobe Bryant. That’s how skilled he is,” proclaimed Perkins. Peterson played 24 games for the Jayhawks, averaging 20.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.4 steals.
Additionally, his scoring arrived with 43.8% shooting from the field and 82.6% from the line. Also, the guard connects on shots from beyond the arc at a 38.2% clip. According to Perkins, executives believe that Peterson’s skill set will help him at the next level.
“His pace and his shooting will translate easy to the NBA.”
Too often, college stars will struggle to capture the same level of success at the NBA level. They transition from being the best pure athlete in a conference to playing against grizzled veterans night in and night out. However, Peterson appears up to the task, according to league sources.
Peterson will need to improve one key aspect of his game: his physical health. While not injury-prone, he did deal with a bout of dehydration brought on by creatine use. Creatine, a supplement that aids muscle building, can also dehydrate the user if not taken with caution.
The Washington Wizards and Utah Jazz currently hold the No. 1 and No. 2 picks in the draft. Each team does need a younger building block. For Washington, they do have point guard Trae Young and forward Anthony Davis.
Adding a player like Peterson can be a building block who learns to take over games as he matures. Similarly, Utah has an inside/outside combination in point guard Keyonte George and power forward Lauri Markkanen.
The allusion to Bryant runs along the same line of thinking. Bryant, during his first three championships, played alongside a dominant big man, Shaquille O’Neal. Later, he benefited from center Pau Gasol to keep the defense honest. Perkins and the executives he spoke with set an early benchmark for Peterson. Can he live up to it?
