For the first time since 2021, the Kansas Jayhawks men’s basketball program had zero players selected in the two-round NBA Draft.
This year’s snub doesn’t figure to start a trend, however, as incoming freshman guard Darryn Peterson is ESPN.com’s early choice to be selected No. 1 overall in June 2026.
“Peterson was the best player in high school last season, possessing a coveted combination of size, length, explosiveness and shot creation,” wrote ESPN.com draft analyst Jonathan Givony, explaining the projection of Peterson atop the 2026 draft.
“He’s a capable passer with strong defensive playmaking ability and scoring talent,” Givony added of the 6-foot-5 freshman from Prolific Prep in Napa, California. “Headed to play for Bill Self, Peterson will be the centerpiece of a Kansas roster built around his dynamic offense, giving him every opportunity to solidify his standing as the No. 1 prospect in next year’s draft.”
Givony said he expects BYU’s A.J. Dybantsa, Duke’s Cameron Boozer and Tennessee’s Nate Ament to challenge Peterson for the top spot in the next draft.
However, he added of Peterson: “He earned his spot at No. 1 (in Class of 2025) through a phenomenal final season of high school basketball at Prolific Prep, where he proved difficult to guard in the open court. He can change speeds out of the pick-and-roll, rise up for deep pull-up 3-pointers and finish with explosiveness around the basket.
“He is also showing significant progress as a passer and defender, and Self will likely hand 6-foot-6 Peterson the keys to the offense, giving him an ideal platform to solidify his standing atop the draft in the highly competitive Big 12.”
At this early date, Givony has Dybantsa No. 2, Boozer No. 3 and Ament No. 4.
KU sophomore Flory Bidunga currently is projected to be taken 56th overall, meaning ESPN believes two Jayhawks will be selected after KU was shut out this year.
Here’s a look at some other early 2026 mock drafts:
USA TODAY: USA Today tabs Dybantsa as the No. 1 overall pick, with Peterson going No. 2, Boozer No. 3 and Ament No. 4. No other Jayhawks were projected to be taken in the first round; no second-round predictions were offered.
SI.COM: Peterson tops SI’s early mock draft, with Dybantsa No. 2, Boozer No. 3 and Ament 4.
Writes Kevin Sweeney of SI.com: “For much of his prep career, Peterson has been overshadowed on the national scene by AJ Dybantsa and Cameron Boozer. Over the past year though, Peterson has made a real push to be considered the top prospect in this class. He had a remarkable senior season at Prolific Prep, headlined by a 61-point outburst against Dybantsa’s Utah Prep in February that really turned heads.
“Peterson possesses elite size for a guard at 6-5 with long arms and a sturdy frame, and he’s already incredibly polished offensively with rare change-of-place ability that allows him to effectively score at all three levels. He’ll get a chance to further his No. 1 pick candidacy on a huge stage at Kansas, where he should have every opportunity to post gaudy numbers on a team that largely features lower-usage role players around him.”
SI.com also went with just one Jayhawk in its Round 1 selections. No second-round picks were made.
CBSSPORTS.COM: It’s Peterson at No. 1, followed by Dybantsa, Boozer and Ament.
Writes analyst Adam Finkelstein: “Peterson finished as the top ranked prospect in high school basketball this season and will have the ball in his hands from Day 1 next season at Kansas. He’s a big lead guard who measured at over 6-feet-5 with a 6-10 wingspan.”
Finkelstein adds: “(H)e’s an alpha type scorer and playmaker with a natural instinct for getting to his spots, scoring within the flow at various spots on the floor, creating for others and even getting to the free-throw line. We’ve even seen his explosiveness continue to ascend within the last year as he has brought his fitness and conditioning to unprecedented levels. In short, among the three players at the top of the class, he was the one who showed the most growth as a high school senior.”
CBSSports.com only predicted picks 1-to-14, with no other Jayhawks mentioned.
BLEACHERREPORT.COM: Peterson, Dybantsa and Boozer were tabbed top three — in that order — with the No. 4 slot going to Arizona’s Koa Peat instead of Ament.
“Darryn Peterson has a case as the most skilled and well-rounded 2-guard prospect of the decade. Even Anthony Edwards didn’t seem as polished or fine-tuned with his overall three-level scoring package and secondary playmaking heading into the draft,” writes Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacherreport.com.
“Peterson isn’t the same caliber of athlete as Edwards, but he’s far from stiff, and he has plenty of shiftiness and bounce for finishing and defense.
“At 6’5” with a solid build and advanced footwork, Peterson creates offense with effective pacing and confidence. He is smooth pulling up off the dribble, gets into his jumper and floater with balance and rhythm, and flashes vision when needed.
“AJ Dybantsa may wind up generating more highlight-reel plays at BYU, but Peterson should be able to match his production and translatability with more efficiency.”
Bleacher Report projects that no other Jayhawks will be picked in Round 1, and no Round 2 picks were offered.