Doug Gottlieb Compares KU’s Darryn Peterson to NBA Legend

Green Bay head coach and sports radio host Doug Gottlieb had high praise for Kansas basketball’s star freshman Darryn Peterson following the Jayhawks’ decisive 94-51 win over the Phoenix on Monday night inside Allen Fieldhouse.

Peterson finished his official KU debut with 21 points on 7-of-11 shooting from the field and went 3-of-7 from 3-point range. He also added in 2 steals, 3 assists, and 4 rebounds on the night.

After the game, Gottlieb quoted a video which highlighted Peterson’s plays that night and said, “Closest thing to Kobe I’ve seen. Kid is awesome.”

Closest thing to Kobe I’ve seen. Kid is awesome https://t.co/TxRCCIh6nc
— Doug Gottlieb (@GottliebShow) November 4, 2025

Gottlieb – who hosts The Doug Gottlieb Show on Fox Sports Radio – has seen a lot of basketball in his days as a player, coach, and an analyst. For him to make this statement and compare Peterson to the late great Kobe Bryant (known as “Kobe” or “The Black Mamba”) is something that shouldn’t be taken lightly.

Coming out of high school, Peterson did share some accolades with Bryant as both players were named the Naismith High School Boys Basketball Player of the Year and McDonald’s All-Americans.

Back then, players were not forced to spend a minimum of one year in college before going pro, so Kobe went straight to the NBA where he was drafted with the No. 13 pick overall by the Charlotte Hornets. He was then famously traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for center Vlade Divac.

Like Kobe, the game seems to come easily to Peterson who appears to be able to do it all on the court. He can drive, he can shoot, and he can create shots for teammates.

More importantly, he looks as though he can take over a game at will and dominate his opponents – a trait that made Kobe into the feared legend that he was with his “Mamba Mentality.”

That killer instinct is something that was missing from this team last year and is a quality that makes Peterson an even more special player.

That mentality isn’t something you can teach – you either have it, or you don’t. Kobe had it. Michael Jordan had it. Former Jayhawk Wilt Chamberlain had it. And it made them some of the best players to ever play the game.

Peterson isn’t Kobe, nor should he aim to be. But if he can learn from him and keep building upon his game, he’ll have his own opportunity at greatness when his career is all said and done.