Darryn Peterson Making Decision Harder For Washington Wizards

As we all know, the Washington Wizards have received the ultimate blessing from the NBA gods as they have the luxury of choosing between three of the best prospects to come out in recent memory. While I am in the camp that AJ Dybantsa will be sporting the Wizards cap come June 23rd, both Darryn Peterson and Cam Boozer are making this generational decision awfully close for the Wizards. 

The biggest reason Peterson deserves consideration starts with his shooting.

At Kansas, Peterson shot 38.2% from three while averaging 2.6 made threes per game on 6.9 attempts. Those numbers are impressive on their own, but they become even more exciting when you look at how he generated those shots. Peterson wasn't simply standing in the corner waiting for open looks. He was making NBA-level shots from deep range and converting difficult attempts off movement.

His off-ball efficiency numbers were elite. According to scouting data, Peterson shot 53% on spot-up threes, 47% on handoff threes, and 38% on off-screen attempts. That's the profile of a player who can thrive next to other stars without needing the ball in his hands every possession. He is an offball machine, something that my favorite prospect, AJ Dybantsa, needs to improve on. 

Washington's offense could desperately use Peterson’s shooting. Last season, the Wizards ranked 19th in three-pointers made per game, 19th in attempts per game, and only 16th in three-point percentage. Adding Peterson would immediately raise the ceiling of the team's spacing. 

Last year, many Wizards fans dreamed about a future Trae Young and Tre Johnson backcourt becoming Washington's version of the Splash Brothers. But if Peterson enters the picture? Forget the Splash Brothers. This becomes the Splash Platoon!

Imagine a lineup featuring Trae Young, Darryn Peterson, Kyshawn George, Alex Dybantsa, and Alex Sarr. With Peterson joining shooters such as Bub Carrington, George, and Sarr, the Wizards could eventually field one of the most dangerous spacing lineups in basketball.

Defensively, Peterson brings another layer that should excite fans. Unlike many elite scoring prospects, Peterson consistently creates defensive stops. As a freshman, he averaged 1.4 steals and 0.6 blocks per game while maintaining discipline and avoiding foul trouble. His steal rate ranked in the 83rd percentile, while his block rate landed in the 79th percentile.

Those numbers suggest a player with strong instincts and the ability to disrupt passing lanes, something that separates him from many offensive minded guard prospects.

The biggest concern surrounding Peterson is his rim pressure. His rim attempt volume was lower than several guards in this draft class, including Darius Acuff, leading some evaluators to question whether he relies too heavily on jump shooting. However, his pre-college film tells a different story.

Data from his pre-college and college career shows a noticeable decrease in rim pressure, with his half-court rim frequency falling from 25.6% at Prolific Prep to 14% at Kansas. That points to a change in usage rather than a limitation in his ability to penetrate defenses and reach the paint. 

Before Kansas, Peterson consistently attacked the paint and generated downhill pressure. His decline in rim frequency could be related to injury, role, roster construction, or coaching decisions rather than an actual limitation in his game. Scouts still praise his finishing ability, advanced floater package, and underrated foul-drawing skills.

With Trae Young expected to stick around, I don't necessarily view Peterson as a long-term point guard. His assist rates suggest he projects more as a scoring creator than a primary initiator. In many ways, his offensive role could resemble the "Point Bradley Beal" years in Washington.

But that's okay. I think. 

If Kyshawn George continues developing as a secondary playmaker and Will Riley reaches his potential as a creator, Peterson won't need to be a traditional point guard. He can focus on what he does best: scoring, defending, and creating matchup problems.

At the end of the day, Peterson offers multiple paths to stardom. Elite shooting, defensive playmaking, positional size, self-creation, and off-ball value make him one of the safest and highest-upside prospects in the class. Take the best player available and move forward. Ensure that his medicals are okay, be content with the doctor’s prognosis, and come to a decision that entices the big suits. After three years of witnessing Will Dawkins’ wizardry on draft day, I will be content no matter which route he goes at one. 

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