Star freshmen KU's Darryn Peterson, Duke's Cameron Boozer declare for NBA Draft

Darryn Peterson was a high-scoring standout guard during his lone season at Kansas.

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) —

Kansas freshman Darryn Peterson

declared for the

NBA Draft

on Friday, just as nearly everyone had expected he would ever since his arrival on campus, and the high-scoring guard figures to be among the first three players

selected in June

.

That top freshmen trio includes Duke’s Cameron Boozer,

The Associated Press

national player of the year

who

joined the list Friday evening

; and BYU’s A.J. Dybantsa, who announced Thursday he was officially part of this deep and touted draft class.

❤️

https://t.co/A62UHobWgZ

— Kansas Men’s Basketball (@KUHoops)

April 24, 2026

Thank you Cam! 💙🫡🫡😈

pic.twitter.com/mPNrKZn3KN

— Duke Men’s Basketball (@DukeMBB)

The 6-foot-6 Peterson showed flashes of brilliance with

the Jayhawks

, but he also caused a lot of headaches for the team. He dealt with a severe full-body cramping issue that required hospitalization before the season, and additional injuries and illnesses caused him to miss 11 games, hurting his ability to build any continuity with the rest of his teammates.

Peterson wound up averaging 20.2 points and 4.2 rebounds while shooting 38.2% from beyond the arc in 24 games.

He started to hit his rhythm in the postseason, scoring 24 points against TCU and 14 against Houston in the Big 12 Tournament. He had 28 points in a first-round NCAA tourney win over Cal Baptist and 21 in

a last-second loss to St. John’s

in the second round.

“To my teammates, friends and everyone at the University of Kansas, a heartfelt thank you!” Peterson posted to social media. “Your belief in me, your encouragement and your constant support have been invaluable every step of the way. This journey has been everything to me, and none of it would have been possible without your love, support and sacrifices.”

Most mock drafts have Peterson or

Dybantsa

going first overall, though Boozer also could be in the mix.

The closest comp to Peterson has generally been 6-foot-5 Devin Booker, the Phoenix Suns’ five-time All-Star. Both have the ability to score at all three levels, and their athleticism allows them to play much bigger than their size.

Peterson’s announcement came one day after Dybantsa declared for the draft in his hometown of Brockton, Massachusetts.