Jazz's Keyonte George Says One Thing Stands Out About Darryn Peterson

The Utah Jazz have had Darryn Peterson in the building for around three months now, and sitting about a month away from the regular season, the clock is slowly ticking down before we get to see this year's No. 2 pick officially debut.

And even in the time before Peterson has gotten on an NBA floor for a regular season game, it seems as if the Jazz's rookie has already begun to impress those spending time with him around the building––one of those being Keyonte George.

What Keyonte George Said About Darryn Peterson

George recently made an appearance on NBA on ESPN following the recent five-year extension he signed with the Jazz, where one of the topics discussed wound up being around Utah's No. 2 pick in Peterson.

Clearly, even after just a few months of working with Peterson, George likes what he's seen from the Jazz rookie––and one of the biggest factors that's stood out has been his ability to quickly learn things.

"I think just how fast he picks up on things," George said on what's stood out on Peterson. "Obviously, in this league, it's a split second. If you make a mistake, it's over. I think for him, whether it's pick and rolls, iso spacing, or if it's even little things on our jump shots, he picks up on it right away."

"[Darryn Peterson's] always willing to learn. I think that's the main thing, coming in as a high pick and still humble enough to still want to learn."

"[Darryn Peterson's] always willing to learn. I think that's the main thing, coming in as a high pick and still humble enough to still want to learn."

Jazz guard Keyonte George speaks on what impresses him about rookie Darryn Peterson 🏀 pic.twitter.com/HWqXaODECA
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) September 21, 2026

For any rookie that's able to pick up on new concepts quickly, and really, make speedy developments as a pro, that's a plus for everyone involved.

That quick learning process was partially the case for George and the start of his career in a Jazz uniform.

His first season was up and down, but certainly proved to be a bit better than his 16th-overall pick status projected him to be. His second year was pretty poor, but in year three, things really began to click for George; he took a huge leap forward in his development, and now, he's got a $150 million contract to show for it.

Apr 9, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz guard Keyonte George (3) celebrates after sinking a three point basket in overtime against the Portland Trail Blazers at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

In the case of a highly-touted first-year talent like Peterson, though, those quick developments that George alludes to are even more valuable.

Many have already viewed Peterson as quite possibly the best rookie in this year's class, next to the likes of AJ Dybantsa and Cameron Boozer. If Peterson shows out to be a few steps better than his college self, that should lead to the Jazz adding on a few more wins because of it, and perhaps even some love for a certain league-wide award catered to first-year players.

The Jazz haven't seen a Rookie of the Year winner walk through the door in their 50-plus years of franchise history. But depending on how strong Peterson looks upon arrival, this year might be a little different.

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