The Utah Jazz made a major splash in the 2026 NBA Draft by selecting explosive Kansas guard Darryn Peterson with the No. 2 overall pick. With the top-two spot predictions always swinging between AJ Dybantsa and Peterson, this move sparked the hype train among NBA veterans. After Kendrick Perkins, it’s DeMarcus Cousins setting the stage for huge expectations with a comparison only a few draft picks could earn. During Bleacher Report’s live draft broadcast, the former NBA All-Star gave a glowing review of the pick by comparing the young guard’s demeanor and play style to one of the greatest to ever step onto a basketball court.

Cousins explicitly stated that Peterson showcases elite flashes of the late Kobe Bryant, instantly boosting the hype surrounding Utah’s newest foundational piece.

“I can see the Kobe in his game,” Cousins raved during the broadcast. “I can see the self-confidence, I can see the isolation package. Everything that we love about Kobe, this kid shows flashes of.”

Cousins didn’t stop there, adding that the young guard is a “super, super talented kid, probably the most talented in the draft.”

There’s no arguing there. Darryn Peterson was projected as a top 2 if not the first overall pick, edged out slightly by Dybantsa, who goes to the Wizards. Peterson could immediately be the answer to Utah’s offense, though Cousins did note there’s a developmental challenge ahead on the floor.

“I am concerned with the combination of him and Keyonte George,” Cousins admitted. “I want to see what that looks like with those two on the floor together; they both need the ball in their hands to be themselves. So that’s something to be figured out. I mean, undeniable talent.”

The Utah Jazz scored with a franchise cornerstone

Boogie is far from the only basketball analyst to place Peterson in the elite stratosphere of historic scorers. Ahead of the draft, former NBA player-turned-ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins made a similar prediction on the Road Trippin’ podcast.

“His floor is Bradley Beal. His ceiling skill-wise, like, his ability to be able to get buckets at all three levels is like Kobe Bryant. Yeah. And I say that sh*t, I say that respectfully. I say that respectfully. I’m not saying he’s gonna have a Kobe Bryant-type career. I’m talking about the talent level there.”

As it tends to happen with Perk, that phrasing went viral a day before the draft. As soon as Peterson went second, Boogie validated what Perk had said by comparing him to the Black Mamba, too.

Though Peterson’s own fanbase didn’t agree. After Perk’s viral statement, discussions sparked online, and most felt Darryn resembled a pre-championship Ray Allen.

Peterson’s scoring ability could become as lethal as the Bean’s – that former All-Star John Wall reminded Perk he isn’t the only one who thinks so. The 19-year-old spent his collegiate season showcasing exceptional offensive talent, averaging 20.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.4 steals per game while hitting 38.2% of his shots from beyond the arc.

He managed to be productive despite dealing with frequent cramping issues. He suffered a bad bout during boot camp and had to be taken to the hospital at that time. Ironically, that was one thing that Boogie didn’t like about him.

In the previous episode of Run it Back, Cousins accused Peterson of “sabotaging” Kansas for subbing himself out of games during his lone college season and missing 11 games.

However, the young player finally found that the cause of the cramps was an unsafe buildup of creatinine. Since stopping the supplements, he’s been cramp-free and likely won’t give Boogie a chance to claim he’s ‘sabotaging’ the Jazz, too.

Besides, with the Kobe Bryant-like talent, Cousins dismissed those concerns, noting that “with the talent, all that can be overlooked.”

Darryn Peterson’s upsides were simply too immense for the Jazz to pass up. Now paired with Keyonte George and Lauri Markkanen, Peterson brings an elite isolation package to Salt Lake City.