Darryn Peterson to Make Long-Awaited College Debut Tonight

The 2025 college basketball slate will officially kick off Monday evening, with dozens of games featuring plenty of future NBA Draft prospects.

One of the highest-profile players will be Kansas guard Darryn Peterson, who’s been one of the more hyped prospects throughout the preseason process.

At 6-foot-5, Peterson brings more polish than your average five-star guard, with the ability to fill it up at all three levels, and bring plenty of defensive intensity in the process. While forwards in AJ Dybantsa and Cameron Boozer will give him steep competition to become the No. 1 pick, it seems NBA Draft experts and league decision-makers lean the guard presently given just how high a floor and ceiling he possesses.

He's a downhill threat with athleticism and touch, and has a clean enough jumper to project plenty of outside buckets down the line.

In his only exhibition action — against a top-15 opponent on the road, no less — Peterson scored 26 points in barely over a half of play, adding five steals, four rebounds and a pair of assists in just 25 minutes. In just the first half, he scorched from beyond the arc, hitting six triples.

Peterson is likely to be at his best with the ball in-hand, getting downhill with a mix of quickness, pace, angular driving and more. Making his scorching performance from three all the more impressive. Versus Green Bay, scouts and NBA decision-makers alike will be keen on how often he gets downhill, opposed to how often he launches from beyond the arc.

Per an earlier scouting report from NBA Draft on SI regarding Peterson: "At the rim and in the midrange, Peterson is special. He has a smooth, buttery jumper, can rise above defenders, stop on a dime, and convert advanced shots fading away or falling to the side. His shot-making inside the arc is elite. When he gets to the rim, he can finish with power or finesse and is simply effective once he is in the paint. His 3-point shot is reliable, though it is still the area of his game that has the most room to grow. Regardless, the dynamic guard is already a true three-level scorer."

Ultimately, Peterson will only need to display exactly what he did at the preps level to become the No. 1 pick: shot-making, clean decision-making, positive defense and his usual boost of three-level scoring.

The Jayhawks and Phoenix tip off at 7 p.m. CT.