Darryn Peterson Vows “Mamba” Work Ethic After Jazz Take Him No. 2 Overall
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The Utah Jazz selected Kansas guard Darryn Peterson with the No. 2 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft on June 23 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
Speaking moments after hearing his name called, the 6-foot-6 scorer said the celebration would be short-lived as he shifts immediately to NBA preparation, citing childhood idol Kobe Bryant as his guide.
“The party ends tonight,” Peterson told reporters. “I was drafted today, but tomorrow I’m an NBA player. I’m going home to train until it’s time to report to Utah. Basketball comes first.”
Peterson added that seeing top pick AJ Dybantsa’s image on arena screens gave him extra motivation. “I just keep asking myself what Kobe would do—he’d move on and try to be the best.”
Talent evaluators have compared Peterson’s ceiling to a young Bryant, noting his advanced footwork and three-level scoring. The rookie underscored that connection by recently tattooing the late Los Angeles Lakers star’s likeness on his left arm.
Peterson averaged 18.4 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.2 assists in his lone season with the Jayhawks, a campaign marked by mid-season coaching turmoil yet highlighted by a strong postseason run.
Cameron Carr Fulfills Childhood Lakers Dream
Los Angeles used its first-round choice on Baylor wing Cameron Carr, whose father, Chris Carr, finished second to Bryant in the 1997 Slam Dunk Contest. The younger Carr called joining the same franchise “a childhood dream come true.”
Both rookies enter the league carrying personal links to Bryant’s legacy—Peterson through his tattoo and daily routine, Carr through family history—as they begin their professional journeys.
Source: Lakers Nation
