Kansas guard Darryn Peterson is expected to be one of the best players coming into the draft this year. According to ESPN’s mock draft, Peterson is projected to be the No. 2 pick in the 2026 draft. Amid all the hype around him and the rest of the draft class, former NBA player Kendrick Perkins made a bold take about the college star.
On Friday’s episode of “NBA Today,” Perkins compared Peterson to the late Kobe Bryant. The 2008 champion believes that the LA Lakers legend is his ceiling in the NBA.
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“When it comes to his talent, his pace and shooting would translate easily into the NBA,” Perkins said. “He’s good in the pick-and-roll, knows how to make the right reads. Low end, Bradley Beal. High end, Kobe Bryant.”
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Perkins’ co-hosts, Malika Andrews and Brian Windhorst, were surprised when he mentioned Bryant as his player comparison. NBA fans, however, did not like that he compared Darryn Peterson to the Lakers icon. Here are some of what the fans said.
“Disrespectful to Kobe Bryant. This guy quit on his team multiple times at Kansas. Horrible comparison,” a fan said.
“He’s gonna be a massive bust. You heard it here first,” another fan commented.
“Never let perk do this again lmao,” one fan said.
More fans did not believe in what Darryn Peterson could do in the NBA.
“Get perkins off the air, this dude Peterson is the opposite of Kobe and will probably be in the G league in 4 years,” someone commented.
“This is just absurd. He ain’t anywhere in the same stratosphere as Kobe,” someone commented.
“I hate having to be exposed to Kendrick Perkins dumb thoughts when I have no reason to watch these shows because you have to be exposed to Kendrick Perkins’ dumb thoughts,” one fan commented.
Darryn Peterson Was Compared to 2 Kobe Bryant-Type Players
Darryn Peterson has shown how great his shot-making ability is during his one-year stay at Kansas. Ahead of the draft, hedrew comparisons to two NBA players who have a lot of similarities to Kobe Bryant.
According to NBA Draft Net, Peterson has shown shades of Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker. The Suns star has a similar playstyle to the Lakers star with his three-level scoring and mastery of the midrange. Booker is one of the elite shot creators in the league and has been at the top of his game for a few seasons.
The next player is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the OKC Thunder. SGA is a menace in the midrange, generating most of his points from that area of the floor.
Darryn Peterson, who may be selected by the Utah Jazz, has a lot of guys to compare himself to.
Edited by Reign Amurao