The Expectations Are High for Kansas' Darryn Peterson vs Louisville

There are three athletes in college basketball who could go as the No.1 Pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.

Those three? AJ Dybantsa, Cam Boozer, and Darryn Peterson.

The three prospects are highly touted, and their ceilings are higher. Throughout high school, all three dominated on the floor and finished out as the top three prospects in the 2025 class, regardless of the recruiting site.

Now, the prospects have made their way to their respective colleges and are getting ready for their freshman campaigns. Dybantsa and Boozer have made their first appearances in exhibition games, and now the bar is set for Peterson.

AJ Dybantsa vs Nebraska

30 Points 7 Rebounds 3 Assists 1 Block 3 Steals 10/19 FG 2/4 3PT 8/8 FT pic.twitter.com/GEhWTfMm1s
— Isaiah Silas (@ProspectReportt) October 18, 2025

Dybantsa and BYU faced off against Nebraska in an exhibition game on Oct. 18, and his presence was known. In a 90-89 loss, Dybantsa was doing everything as he dropped 30 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 block, and 3 steals for the Cougars. He showed exactly what fans and analysts were expecting; he is the real deal.

CAMERON BOOZER DUKE DEBUT:

33 POINTS
12 REBOUNDS
4 ASSISTS
12/19 FGM

🔥🔥🔥

(via @brhoops)

pic.twitter.com/1QwfisjJ81
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) October 22, 2025

Last night, Cam Boozer and Duke faced off against UCF in an exhibition contest. Boozer showed pure dominance, finishing with 33 points, 12 rebounds, and 4 assists in a 96-71 win. Boozer is in for a big season. He impressed scouts with this performance, and it would be no surprise if he is the top pick in next year’s draft.

So, what does this mean for Peterson? It is time to continue to impress.

Peterson is viewed as the most polished freshman in recent years, and the expectations are high. He can get to his spots consistently and is a very talented three-level scorer.

The question is, can he match the two other star-studded freshmen? Peterson definitely can do so. He will have the ball in his hands for the majority of the time, and with the variety of ways he can put the ball in the hoop, he will light up the stat sheet.

Nonetheless, all credit is given to Dybantsa and Boozer as scoring 30 points in college basketball is ridiculous.

Obviously, Peterson is not expected to match the other two’s performances directly, but the expectations are still high, and it would be entertaining to see.

Exhibition games are not to be taken seriously, but they can help set a reputation for the rest of the year. If Peterson looks solid and plays his game, the rest will fall into place.

Peterson and his crew will face off against Louisville this Friday at 6:30 p.m. CT.