NBA Mock Draft: Nets Select Top Guard in Latest Projection

While Brooklyn may be considered guard-heavy, some prospects are too good to pass up on.

Mar 25, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Brooklyn Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez gestures during the second quarter against the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: John Hefti-Imagn Images | John Hefti-Imagn Images

The last time the Brooklyn Nets had a top-three pick was in the 2010 NBA Draft. The last time they selected a guard in the top three was in 1991, when they took Kenny Anderson with the No. 2 overall pick.

In recent 2026 mock drafts, the Nets usually go with one of the top forwards in the class. The board may not play out the way the organization hopes, depending on the team's preferences that draft ahead of them. There is also the scenario where Brooklyn likes a guard enough to forgo needs and draft its perceived best available player.

USA Today's Bryan Kalbrosky released his latest mock draft on Monday.

No. 3 Brooklyn Nets: G Darryn Peterson, Kansas

Mar 22, 2026; San Diego, CA, USA; Kansas Jayhawks forward Flory Bidunga (40) and guard Darryn Peterson (22) and guard Melvin Council Jr. (14) look on in the first half against the St. John's Red Storm during a second round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Viejas Arena. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images | Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

Peterson is one of the most polarizing players in the draft because of health, motor and consistency concerns. It could easily be seen as a bad fit with the Nets after they took three guards in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft.

The positive is that if they do like Peterson, he's nothing like any of the contributing guards on the roster. Brooklyn's young guards are pass-first players, while Peterson is a pure scorer with projectable traits that could make him a well-rounded NBA player. He would continue the trend of big guards with a 6-foot-6, 205-pound frame and a 6-foot-10 wingspan.

Peterson will be 19 years old on draft day. He averaged 20.2 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game during his freshman season at Kansas. His two-way capabilities are reminiscent of a young Kawhi Leonard.

He wasn't the most efficient overall scorer, shooting 43.8% from the field, but he has true upside as an elite three-point shooter with a 38.2% clip from deep on nearly seven attempts per game. Peterson draws so much attention from defenses that his upside as a playmaker is still there, even with low numbers in college.

The Nets guard rotation looks like Egor Demin, Nolan Traoré, Terance Mann and Drake Powell as the Key players. Peterson would immediately start alongside Demin or Traoré as the off-ball guard.

A plethora of playmakers highlighted their last draft, but there needs to be an influx of scoring talents this offseason if Brooklyn is going to compete for a playoff spot. Michael Porter Jr. is the only player on the team going into next season who averaged more than 10 shots a game.

Peterson can help fix the Nets' league-worst offense and bottom-seven defense. He scores at all three levels and can immediately become one of the team's best on-ball defenders.

Peterson may not fill the biggest need for how Brooklyn's roster is currently constructed, but it can afford to draft according to best available talent while in the early stages of this rebuild.